Patna: The media contact programme of One District, One Product-District Export Hub (ODOP-DEH) was organised by ODOP-DEH of the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, on Friday in collaboration with the Press Information Bureau at the auditorium of the Industries Department here.
On this occasion, Kapil Dev Prasad of Nalanda district, selected for Padma Shri 2023 for 52 booty handicrafts, said that government protection is very important for local products so that the product can be promoted. Prasad said that it is necessary to have a sales centre for the marketing of the products. He said that there is an exemption on Khadi but there is no exemption on other handicrafts and their products. In such a situation, other products have to struggle a lot.
Handicrafts are very expensive, so they do not enter the market quickly, and, more importantly, in the age of machines, handicrafts must struggle greatly, he added.Prasad said that if we also get the machine through the government’s initiative, then we will also come forward in the struggle. He demanded the government initiate GI tags for 52 herbal products.
On the occasion, Vivek Ranjan Maitrey, Director, Food Processing, Industries Department, Government of Bihar said that bringing the products of the district onto a single platform is an initiative of the “One District, One Product” scheme. He said that the export of products from the district was limited to some states and districts only, but due to the initiative of this scheme, many products of the district have become accessible on national and international platforms.
Maitrey said that many products from Bihar have made their mark in the international market today, and there is a need to give recognition to the products. He said that earlier, the products did not get a fair price, but with this scheme, the producers have started getting a fair price. He called upon the media personnel to publicise such products from the district and this scheme so that the producers could take advantage of the benefits.
PIB Director Ashish Lakra said that every district has its own special product, but we do not know, about them. There is a need to bring them to the fore, and in such a way, the “one district, one product” scheme is proving to be a milestone. This scheme provides a market for the small producers in the district. He urged the media brothers to publicise the “One District, One Product” scheme as much as possible so that farmers and artisans can take advantage of the scheme.
According to Sanjay Kumar, Deputy Director of the Press Information Bureau, the role of the media in publicising any scheme is critical, and it would be beneficial if the media gave space in the news to local level products and producers.
Prerna Preyasi, ODOP-DEH, New Delhi, explained about ODOP in detail before the programme and said that this scheme is focused on the economic development of farmers and producers. She said that initiatives are also taken to ensure that the products get more market exposure. The scheme’s goal is to organise a pan-India ODOP DEH contact-media programme by one district, one product (Districts’ Export Hubs) team across the country and on a global scale, highlighting success stories of Indian products.
Sonal Chowdhary, (ODOP-DEH), New Delhi, said that with the help of PIB, this programme has been done in six states so far. This is the seventh programme in Bihar. He said that the objective of the ODOP DEH-PIB Contact Media Programme is to create awareness among the media about the products of different districts of India and to introduce them to the farmers whose lives have been changed through ODOP as well as local producers and artisans.
–PIB report, Photo
