LUCKNOW: Dubbing One District One Product (ODOP) an innovative concept with the potential to boost state's economy, President Ram Nath Kovind said it would not only change the scenario of skill development in UP, but would also provide a fillip to state government's efforts to mitigate unemployment by creating around 25 lakh jobs in the next five years.
While inaugurating a three-day summit-- One District One Product - to promote micro, small and medium industries here on Friday, the president called such enterprises the backbone of the country's economy and the engines to propel inclusive growth.
"These enterprises are engines of inclusive development. After the agricultural sector, it is this sector which absorbs most people," he said while addressing a gathering of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs. The president said that it was a cost-effective sector generating comparatively more jobs at the rural level even in the backward regions providing enough opportunities to rural youth to grow.
"After this concept coming into being and taking concrete shape, rural youth will not be required to join the mad rush of securing government or private jobs. Through skill development they can generate option for their own growth," said the President.
Besides India, the opportunities for growth would be immense by exploring the foreign market through proper branding of handicraft products, food processing, engineering goods, readymade garments, carpets, furniture, and leather goods, said Kovind.
He added that these products had the potential to earn good foreign exchange. "In fact, UP accounts for 44 per cent of the total handicraft exports of the country," said the President. The President also noted that under the One District One Product scheme, the state government has set a goal of providing employment to 25 lakh people in five years through the financial assistance of Rs 25,000 crores. During the summit -- 'Nayi Udaan, Nayi Pehchan'-- the President distributed papers of loan sanctioned to the tune of Rs 1006.4 crore to over 4,000 artisans from across 75 districts of the state.
UP is uniquely famous for product-specific traditional industrial hubs across 75 districts, including Varanasi (Banarasi silk sari), Bhadohi (carpet), Lucknow (chikan), Kanpur (leather goods), Agra (leather footwear), Aligarh (locks), Moradabad (brassware), Meerut (sports goods) and Saharanpur (wooden products). It is a meet stated to be the first of its kind in the country as the focus of ODOP would be to optimise production, productivity and income, preservation and development of local crafts, promotion of art, improvement in product quality and skill development. Believably, the state government will sign memorandum of understandings (MoUs) with e-retailor giant Amazon for marketing of products of artisans from various districts and also Quality Control of India (QCI) to ensure good quality products. Amazon will be roped in to train the artisans and small entrepreneurs of districts and get their products listed on its marketing platform.
Besides, MoUs will also be signed with Wipro GE Health Care, National Stock Exchange and BSE at the event.
Technical sessions on handloom, textiles craft, tourism, agro and food processing, credit and finance will be held during the summit.