The Ministry of Railways has launched ‘One Station One Product’ (OSOP) scheme over Indian Railways. The initiative will provide a market for local and indigenous products in order to support the marginalised sections of society by giving them an opportunity to generate additional income.
Under the scheme, the government allots OSOP outlets at railway stations where local sellers can feature indigeneity of their products. These units are capable of giving high visibility and exposure to local products. The pilot of the scheme had begun last year in the month of March and as on 1st May 2023, a total of 728 stations stand covered with 785 OSOP outlets in 21 States and 3 Union Territories across India. According to official data, the number of cumulative direct beneficiaries is 25,109 (as on 1 May 2023).
OSOP refers to unique items that are specific to a particular region. These products include diverse range of goods and products made exclusively by indigenous communities, such as handlooms produced by local weavers, renowned handicrafts like wood carving, chikankari embroidery, and zari-zardozi work on garments. The products also include locally grown and processed or semi-processed food items like spices, tea, coffee, etc.
We have set up many such stalls in Eastern Railway in which we are promoting local handicrafts. We have decided that this year we will conduct such programs in many more stations”, said Kaushik Mitra, CPRO Eastern Railway.
Under the OSOP scheme, products are categorised as follows –
1 – Handicrafts/ Artefacts
2 – Textiles and Handlooms
3 – Traditional Garments
4 – Local agricultural produce (including Millets)/ Processed/semi processed foods.
SOURCE: AIR
