• Based on strengths of a district and National Priorities, One District One Product (ODOP) is seen as a transformational step forward towards realizing the true potential of a district, fuel economic growth and generate employment and rural entrepreneurship, taking us to the goal of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat. 

    • In this contest, an interaction with all States and UTs was held on 27th August, 2020 to discuss the implementation of One District One Product initiative, and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is working further on the initiative.

    • The idea is to provide credit-linked subsidy for setting up 2 lakh micro processing units across the country under a ₹10,000 crore

    • Department of Commerce through DGFT is engaging with State and Central government agencies to promote the initiative of One District One Product.

    • As part of this initiative, an institutional mechanism is being set up in each District in the form of District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs) that may be headed by DM/ Collector/ DC/ District Development Officer of the District.

    • The primary function of the DEPC will be to prepare and act on District specific Export Action Plans in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders from the Centre, State and the District level.

    • DGFT has also developed a portal that may be accessed on the DGFT website to enable the States to upload all information related to the products with export potential of every district. Portal has been developed and is currently being tested.

    • Products with export potential are being identified in different districts across the country, and accordingly State Export Strategies are being prepared

    • The ODOP product could be a perishable product, cereal-based or a food product widely produced in a district and their allied sectors.

    • The products could be mango, potato, litchi, tomato, tapioca, kinnu, bhujia, petha, papad, pickle, millet-based products, fisheries, poultry, meat as well as animal feed, among others. 

Objective

    1. to convert each District of the country into an export hub by identifying products with export potential in the District

    2. to address bottlenecks for exporting these products

    3. to support local exporters, manufacturers to scale up manufacturing, and find potential buyers outside India with the aim of promoting exports

    4. to promote manufacturing & services industry in the District and generate employment in the District.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)