Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said here on Wednesday that One District One Product (ODOP) from all the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh should be graded and postage stamps issued on them for their global recognition.

Yogi said every countryman is happy to see the progress of Uttar Pradesh while the world is surprised to see the transformation the state has undergone from an atmosphere of despair, frustration, and anarchy to one of hope and aspiration post-2017.

Speaking at MSME’s mega loan distribution programme of Rs 51,000 crore, the chief minister said, “UP is fast becoming the largest economy in the country with the highest growth rate and economic development rate.”

Emphasising the importance of teamwork, he said when people work collectively, they achieve desired results. “We have entered the year 2024. In these past seven years, the state has jumped from its position of sixth-seventh economy to become the second-largest economy in the country,” he said.

At the event, CM Yogi distributed the first installment for the construction of ‘Pledge Parks’ in Mathura, Amroha, Sitapur, and Meerut under the PLEDGE scheme. He also inaugurated three common facility centers in Saharanpur, Moradabad, and Sambhal under the ODOP scheme. He handed over the approval letter to the CFC team of Kaushambi.

Furthermore, Yogi distributed cheques and tool kits to a dozen beneficiaries of ODOP and Vishwakarma Shram Samman schemes. Under the Mission Shakti, he also handed over e-rickshaw keys to women.

Yogi pointed out that the law and order in the state have improved remarkably, making every individual, including women, daughters, businessmen, and investors, feel safe. This is also reflected in UP emerging as the top destination for investments in the country.

He said the state has received investment proposals of Rs 40 lakh crores in GIS-23, which will directly contribute to generating employment for more than 1 crore 10 lakh youth. UP is the first state to actively support the Vocal for Local campaign initiated by the central government, he pointed out.

Highlighting the contribution of various schemes, he mentioned that the MSME sector has given a new identity to Uttar Pradesh. The ODOP scheme has empowered micro, small, and medium enterprises, providing a new direction to traditional entrepreneurs who used to migrate because of a lack of opportunities in the past. The scheme has made the state an ‘export hub’, with exports increasing almost three times.

CM Yogi said the ODOP products should not be confined to coffee table books, adding that postage stamps should be released for the product of each district. “Efforts should be made for this because it will provide us with global recognition. Every district’s product should also be graded so that information about good products can be conveyed. Combining it with packaging and technology will get the products global recognition”, CM Yogi asserted.

He further said that UP is the first state to introduce the ODOP, Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana, and PLEDGE Scheme, pointing out that the schemes have led to significant growth in the MSME units in the state as it boasts of having 96 lakh MSME units today.

He urged bankers to provide substantial loans to small capital holders for less risk of loss of capital, adding that it will also boost the investors’ business and bankers’ confidence in small capital holders, thereby leading to prosperity in the state.

“The result of the foresighted thinking of bankers and the government is that the state, which had a CDO ratio of 43 to 44 percent, has now increased to 56 to 57 percent. It should be our goal to increase it to 60 percent in this financial year and 65 percent in the next financial year”, Yogi added.

He said that cheques were distributed during the program to women and men under the ODOP scheme who wanted to work in different sectors. “Therefore, we must live up to their expectations. Appropriate platforms should be provided for their training so that happiness comes into the lives of every individual in society”, he remarked further.

In the programme, Minister Rakesh Sachan, Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, IIDC Manoj Kumar Singh, and Additional Chief Secretary of MSME Amit Mohan Prasad were present.