BY TTT NEWS NETWORK
KOLKATA, 13 MAY 2023:
Ministry of Railways has launched ‘One Station One Product’ (OSOP) scheme over Indian Railways with objectives to promote ‘Vocal for Local’ vision of the Government of India, provide a market for local/indigenous products and create additional income opportunities for the marginalised sections of society. Under the scheme, OSOP outlets at railway stations are allotted for showcasing, selling and giving high visibility to indigenous /local products. The pilot of the scheme was started on 25.03.2022 and as on 01.05.2023, 728 stations are covered with 785 OSOP outlets in 21 States and 3 Union Territories across the country. These OSOP stalls are designed through National Design Institute for uniformity. Cumulative Direct Beneficiaries from March 2022 till 01.05.2023 is 25,109.
‘One Station One Product’ are specific to that place and include artefacts made by indigenous tribes, handlooms by local weavers, handicrafts like world famous wood carving, chikankari and zari-zardozi work on clothes, or spices tea, coffee and other processed/semi processed food items/products indigenously grown in the area, as for example, Taant sarees of West Bengal, Bhagalpur Silk sarees, Terracotta Products, Bamboo products and jute products.
Product categories, under this scheme, include the following:
1. Handicrafts/ Artefacts
2. Textiles and Handlooms
3. Traditional Garments
4. Local agricultural produce (including Millets)/ Processed/semi processed foods.
In Eastern Railway 57 stalls are now operating at different stations in four divisions viz. Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol, Malda. Out of which, 21 stalls in Howrah Division, 7 in Malda Division, 7 in Asansol Division & 22 in Sealdah Division. The Products in these OSOP stalls are widely vary envisaging Taant Handloom Saree, Handloom Saree, Cotton Textiles, Pottery, Terracotta products, Silk handloom sarees, Clay products, Cane & Bamboo Products, Brush & metal products, embroidery soft toys, tea leaves, artificial jewellery, Conshell artifacts, papercrafts, dry flowers and decorative products.
Eastern Railway has already identified 380 stations for establishing OSOP stalls which are in different locations from highly urbanized areas to the rural to add flavours of wide range of products in product mix, providing opportunities of marketing indigenous products at the door steps of the small entrepreneurs & artisans. Eventually, Railway stations are visited by thousands of passengers from every corner of the country and also by the foreign tourists frequently. Even a highly localized products of West Bengal, Bihar & Jharkhand in Eastern Railway network are now getting scope of global marketing for the indigenous products.
The OSOP appears to be an employment generator turning lives of many artisans & leading the per capita income even at its best level of the society. The subsidence wage earners thus getting chance for a better living and educating their children providing even luxury goods to their family members, which in turn influencing business cycle resulting in more frequent rotation of both money and products in the economy boosting the economy further.
The emergence of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ is evident on the success of OSOP stall owners. For example, the OSOP stall Bonny’s Creations won by Barnali Chakraborty at Nangi station in Eastern Railway helped the proprietor to increase his sales value for her organization by more than 50% than that of earned earlier. In another instance, Pinky Haldar running a OSOP stall at Jadavpur station for selling textile jewellery recorded an average monthly sale of Rs.60,000/- with which she managed to have a comfortable livelihood. OSOP also succeeded in showcasing the weaving tales & traditions of the master weaver Shri Biren Kumar Basak and exhibited his 12-yard saga to the common people in a grand way.
Mr. Kausik Mitra, CPRO of Eastern Railway further added that the OSOP scheme certainly succeeded to provide enhanced livelihood & skill development opportunities to local artisans, potters, handloom weavers, tribals & help local business and supply chain.
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