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Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Mr Piyush Goyal called for the integration of One District One Product (ODOP) initiative with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Speaking at the unveiling of the unabridged ODOP Gift Catalog containing 300 plus products and ODOP Storefront on GeM in New Delhi, the Minister said that ONDC would help in further expanding the frontiers of ODOP by bringing buyers and sellers together on a democratic platform.

Referring to the success that ODOP has seen in several states like Uttar Pradesh, the Minister said that convergence is a critical factor that would propel the success of ODOP. Shri Goyal asked that flagship programs of the government such as Startup India, Make in India, districts as export hubs etc. are converged with the vision of ODOP. He asked all the Ministries of GoI to help further expand the mandate of ODOP through complementary initiatives.

The Minister asked Ministries, Departments and other government bodies to consider ODOP products exclusively for gifting purposes both within and outside India. He opined that the G20 summit which is set to take place in India soon is a great opportunity to showcase ODOP Products. He suggested that the delegates of G20 be given exposure to ODOP products through well-curated exhibitions of good quality ODOP products and tours of craft villages.

Mr Goyal called upon students of eminent institutions like NIFT, NID and IIFT to find creative methods to amplify ODOP. The Minister also dwelt upon the need to brand ODOP products, most of which are natural and eco-friendly as sustainable and good for the planet. In this context, Mr Goyal called for expansion of the list of GI-tagged products by simplifying, streamlining and fast-tracking the GI tagging process.

The Minister also called for the expansion of the availability of genuine ODOP products to counter fakes in the market and said that strict action must be taken against those who sell counterfeit products. For arts and crafts that are in crisis because of the less number of artisans engaged in their production, Mr Goyal said that more and more artisans must be trained to take up these crafts so that they may be safeguarded.

The ODOP storefront on GeM went live with 75 categories covering products across states and UTs. The purpose of the storefront is to enable direct procurement of ODOP products for gifting/ office use by various line ministries, government bodies, and foreign missions abroad. This will enable an international audience for India’s rich and diverse products.