73 UP rly stations sell OSOP products

Lucknow: Seventy-three railway stations in Uttar Pradesh are now covered with 'One Station One Product' (OSOP) outlets with the objective to promote 'Vocal for Local' vision and provide a market for local/indigenous products. Under the scheme launched by the Railways Ministry, 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 March 25 and today, 73 stations are covered with OSOP outlets in Uttar Pradesh. According to the railway spokesman, OSOP is specific to that place and includes artifacts 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.

Product categories, under this scheme, include Handicrafts/Artefacts, Textiles, and Handlooms, Traditional Garments, Local agricultural produce (including millet)/ Processed/semi-processed foods. The concept is aimed to popularise local indigenous products at the railway station and to provide an opportunity for passengers to experience the rich heritage of India and create additional income opportunities for the marginalized section of society.

Artisans, weavers, craftsmen, self-help groups, tribal cooperatives, and marginalised and weaker sections of the society dealing with these products are selling their products at railway stations across Uttar Pradesh. OSOP stalls across the entire state of Uttar Pradesh cover variety of products including Brass Statue of lord Krishna & Photo Frame, Carpet, Chikan zari-zardozi garment, agriculture herbal product, jute product, pickles, jams, jelly, ketchup, kala namak rice (a unique rice variety of rice from Siddharth Nagar and nearby areas), black pottery, wooden toys, terracotta artifact and banana fibre products.