ODOP items to be available at petrol pumps in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 11 (ANI): Petrol pumps in Uttar Pradesh will act as promotional hubs and showcase destinations for the One District One Product (ODOP) items, according to an official statement released on Thursday.

Under the pilot project, the ODOP stalls will be set up at Indian Oil Corporation's (IOC) petrol pumps at Husaria and Jiamau in Lucknow. However, in due course, ODOP stalls will be set up at IOC's other petrol stations in the state as well.

Navneet Sehgal, Additional Chief Secretary, Micro, Small and Medium Industries (MSME), Government of Uttar Pradesh, informed that the state government is making every possible effort to promote ODOP and to give a wider platform to the local artisans, craftsmen, potters and weavers.

In this context, a meeting was held with the officials of Indian Oil Corporation in which it has been decided to utilise petrol pumps now as showcase destinations for ODOP items, Sehgal said in the statement.

To give a special and unique identity to the ODOP products and provide it with a bigger market, preparations are being made to open stalls at petrol pumps in the state. A meeting in this regard was held with Indian Oil Corporation and soon their petrol pumps will have stalls showcasing ODOP items, Sehgal added.

He further said that the stalls of the ODOP products at the petrol pumps will be of standard size and will be set up soon after an agreement between the Government and the IOC regarding the size.

The UP government's One District, One Product Programme aims to encourage indigenous and specialised products and crafts. For modernisation, proper marketing, branding and enhancing the quality of the products, the state government also offers loans, training and toolkits, marketing assistance and Common Facility Centres (CFC). The government has also been establishing communication with the embassies to ensure that ODOP items get international recognition. (ANI)