Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand Mahesh Poddar said that if the Jharkhand government shows interest in ‘One District – One Product’ (ODOP) scheme by coordinating with the Central Government, soon Tasar, Laha, Sahajan, Rugda, Bamboo, Peas, Tomatoes, forest medicines etc. will have access to the international market. This initiative can play an important role in the prosperity and self-sufficiency of Jharkhand.
Poddar said that there is enough variety in medicinal plants, forest produce, rural-indigenous products, artifacts etc. in Jharkhand and if properly priced and marketed, they can get different recognition and good prices in the international market. He raised the issue in Rajya Sabha, in response to which Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal provided detailed information about the one district-one product scheme. Minister Piyush Goyal informed that talks were held with all the States and Union Territories on 27th August to discuss implementation of the One District One Product Initiative and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is working further on this initiative.
The Union Minister stated that along with the goal of boosting export potential in the district, encouraging the manufacturing and service industry and generating employment in the district, it aims to identify the products with export potential in the district. It aims to transform each district of the country into an export hub by assisting local exporters or manufacturers in large scale manufacture and locating potential buyers outside India by removing bottlenecks. He informed that an institutional mechanism is being set up in each district in the form of District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs). The district specific export action plan will have to be prepared and processed in coordination with all the relevant stakeholders at the state and district level. The DGFT has also developed a portal to enable the state to upload all information related to the products having export potential in each district. Products with export potential are being identified in various districts across the country and state export strategies are being prepared accordingly.
