President Kovind to open ODOP summit today

LUCKNOW: The Yogi government has increased the loan amount from Rs 500 core to Rs 1006.94 crore that will be distributed to artisans of 75 districts at the one district one product (ODOP) summit on Friday.

The state government will also sign an MoU with the e-retailor giant Amazon for marketing of products of artisans and Quality Control of India (QCI). The QCI will ensure quality of products.

President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the three-day summit on Friday at the Indira Gandhi Prathisthan. Governor Ram Naik and chief minister Yogi Adityanath will also be present at the event.

“The government has decided to increase the loan amount from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1006.94 crore,” said Satyadev Pachauri, Khadi and Village Industries minister.

This loan will be distributed to 4085 artisans from 75 districts across the state. “President Kovind will personally distribute loan to some beneficiaries at the event. Remaining beneficiaries will be handed over the loan at their respective districts. The ministers’ incharge of the districts will hand over the loan amount to artisans in their respective districts on Friday,” added Pachauri.

On day one of the summit, eight technical sessions will be organised on Handloom and Textile, Craft and Tourism, Agro and Food processing, Credit and Finance.

On remaining two days of the summit, August 11, 12, exhibition will be open for commoners where they can purchase articles.

At the venue, 268 stalls have also been set up to display artefacts of 75 districts selected under the ODOP scheme.

The government has identified 75 products in as many districts that are indigenous. These products have made the respective districts famous.

Through this summit, the state government will promote these 75 products at the national and international level. The government aims to generate job opportunities at the village level by its ODOP scheme.

Around 3000 artisans from all across the state will attend the summit and 1000 delegates have also been invited.

In the long list of 75 products are the world famous carpets of Bhadohi, brassware of Moradabad, locks of Aligarh, famous black pottery of Mirzapur, crockery of Khurja, leather of Agra and Kanpur and Chicken of Lucknow among other products.