Kangana to drive visibility for UP’s traditional products

Lucknow, Oct. 8 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government plans to further step up the branding of its ‘One District One Product’ (ODOP) scheme.

The state’s Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Siddhartha Nath Singh and Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Navneet Sehgal met actress Kangana Ranaut, who has been named brand ambassador of the ODOP scheme, in Lucknow on Thursday, and discussed the modalities.

Kangana has assured her support for the scheme, which was launched with the aim of reviving traditional industries in the state, the minister said.

“Uniquely identifiable products have been identified in each district,” he added. “The artisans have been given advanced tools and attractive packaging of their products has been ensured, and an agreement signed with e-commerce majors Flipkart and Amazon so that they can be marketed globally.”

He said the financial problems of artisans were being addressed by connecting them with banks.

ACS Navneet Sehgal expressed the hope that as brand ambassador, Kangana Ranaut would take ODOP “to new heights and these products would eventually become the choice of people”.

Kangana responded by saying that she would gift ODOP products to members of her family and friends during Diwali this year. She was of the view that consumer aspirations should be addressed through her advertisements promoting ODOP products.

“We had a good discussion,” the minister said. “I briefed her about the micro and small industries that are coming up and shaping the state’s rural economy. She said she wanted to begin shooting to promote the scheme as quickly as possible,” he added.

“There are products in UP that one cannot usually find elsewhere, such as the ‘Kala Namak’ rice variety,” the minister said. “UP is full of amazing things. Many of these products are now GI-tagged, which means they are certified as being specific to a given region in UP.”