One District One Product Programme

What is the Skill Development Scheme under One District One Product Programme of the Government of Uttar Pradesh?

Approach: Introduce the answer with a brief description about the One District One Product programme and the sub-schemes under it. In the body, describe the Skill Development Scheme and its various objectives and features. Conclude by underlining the significance of the scheme.

One District One Product (ODOP) programme was launched  in 2018 to promote unique local crafts, industries and products from each of UP’s 75 districts. It consists of four sub-schemes:

1. Skill Development and Toolkit Distribution scheme
2. Marketing Development Assistance scheme
3. Common Facility Centre scheme
4. Financial Assistance (Margin Money) Scheme

The Skill Development Scheme is a critical sub-scheme of the ODOP programme and has the following objectives:

1. It aims to fulfill the current and future requirements of skilled work force in the entire value chain of ODOP products.
2. The Schemes entails equipping the artisans / workers through distribution of  advanced tool kits.
3. Achieving qualitative improvement in products and promoting entrepreneurship is a key objective of the scheme. This will help increase demand for the products and enable remunerative price realization for the artisans.

The Scheme is available to all the residents of UP who are above 18 years of age. No educational qualification is mandatory for availing benefits under the Scheme.

Following incentives are available under the scheme:

1. It grants Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to already skilled artisans through certification by the relevant Sector Skill Councils.
2. Certification under RPL is also available for unskilled trainees after 10 days of training.
3. All the trainees are provided an honorarium of Rs.200/day during training,
4. Once the training is complete, an advanced toolkit is given to all trained artisans, free of cost.

The Skill Development Scheme enhances the effectiveness of the ODOP programme by linking it to livelihood generation, entrepreneurship development and inclusive growth.