UP govt to organise 5-day global virtual MSME exhibition in October

In order to connect the state's micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sellers with international buyers during the Covid-19 headwinds, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to organise a five-day global virtual exhibition next month.

Buyers from 50 countries will be connected to the virtual platform, which will also promote the One District-One Product (ODOP) scheme, aimed at promoting the state’s indigenous and traditional handicrafts and industries.

UP Additional Chief Secretary, MSME and Export Promotion, Navneet Sehgal, took the stock of the situation and reviewed the preparation for the proposed virtual exhibition.

He said about 25,000 virtual stalls would be available for the different categories of products, including business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C).

 

“While institutional buyers will be able to order directly from sellers over the virtual platform, retail buyers will also get the opportunity to buy,” Sehgal said.

Some of the prominent products to be showcased during the virtual exhibition include leather footwear from Kanpur and Agra, Chikan fabric of Lucknow, perfumery of Kannauj, terracotta from Gorakhpur, brassware from Moradabad, silk work from Varanasi, carpets from Bhadohi etc.

Since, transnational Covid-19 protocols have impeded the deferment of major international trade fairs and exhibitions, the Adityanath government has decided to host the virtual event under the flagship Market Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme.

The ODOP scheme was launched by the Adityanath government in 2018 to promote the traditional and indigenous industries and handicrafts by facilitating state support in terms of setting up of new enterprises, bank credit and marketing.

The success of the ODOP scheme can be gauged from the fact that UP achieved industrial exports worth nearly Rs 1.14 trillion in 2018-19 compared to only Rs 89,000 crore in 2017-18, thus registering a upsurge of 28 per cent.

According to estimates, UP is home to nearly 9 million MSME units, which form the industrial backbone of the state. The sector contributes 60 per cent to UP’s annual industrial output and directly employs 50 million people.

The MSME sector also blends with the macro development plank of the Adityanath regime, while resurrecting the positive image of UP and repositioning the state as a preferred investment destination in the league of Indian states.

Earlier, Chief Minister Adityanath had directed officials to draw up the roadmap for leveraging the provision of Rs 15,000 crore loan component for the MSME sector in the federal economic package announced by the Centre earlier this year to beat the challenges posed by the Covid-19 lockdown and its aftermath.

Meanwhile, the state is also planning to launch retail outlets to market the state’s pool of ethnic products. While, a majority of these outlets would be set up in UP, stores will also be launched in other states as well.