LUCKNOW: Describing the micro, small and medium enterprises as the backbone of the country’s economy, President Ram Nath Kovind has said these enterprises are “engines of inclusive development”.
The President was speaking after inaugurating ‘One District One Product’ Summit organized by the Uttar Pradesh government to promote traditional industries in every district of the state.
The President noted that Uttar Pradesh accounted for 44 per cent of the total handicraft exports of the country. Industries such as handicrafts, food processing, engineering goods, carpets, readymade clothes and leather goods earn foreign exchange as well as provide employment, he said.
“Therefore, this sector will play an important role in the development of Uttar Pradesh,” Kovind said.
Under the One District One Product scheme, the state government has set a goal of providing employment to 25 lakh people in five years through the financial assistance of Rs 25,000 crore.
During the summit, with a tagline of ‘Nayi Udaan, Nayi Pehchan’, the President distributed loan sanction papers to some artisans. Loan papers amounting to Rs 1,006.94 crore are to be distributed to 4,085 artisans from 75 districts in the summit.
The summit, which aims to give boost to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) is a corollary of the UP Investors Summit held in the state capital in February this year, followed by the groundbreaking ceremony for the launch of 81 projects in July.
UP is uniquely famous for product-specific traditional industrial hubs across 75 districts, including Varanasi (Banarasi silk sari), Bhadohi (carpet), Lucknow (chikan), Kanpur (leather goods), Agra (leather footwear), Aligarh (locks), Moradabad (brassware), Meerut (sports goods) and Saharanpur (wooden products).
The ODOP scheme seeks to promote traditional industries synonymous with their respective districts to spur local economy and create jobs, said UP MSME and Khadi and Village Industries Minister Satyadeo Pachauri.
The state government will sign memorandum of understandings (MoUs) with e-retailer giant Amazon for marketing of products of artisans, and Quality Control of India (QCI) that will ensure quality of products.
Amazon will train the artisans and small entrepreneurs of several districts, including Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Ferozabad, Moradabad, Agra, Kanpur, Meerut, Bhadohi and Varanasi, in getting their products listed on its marketing platform.
Besides, MoUs will be exchanged with Wipro GE Health Care, National Stock Exchange and BSE at the event. PTI
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