E-commerce marketplace Flipkart has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the One District, One Product (ODOP) scheme of the Uttar Pradesh government to bring artisans, weavers and craftsmen into mainstream business.
Flipkart said that the partnership will enable these under-served communities to showcase their specialised products and crafts to millions of customers across the country.
The initiative called 'Flipkart Samarth' will enable them to break entry barriers by extending time-bound incubation support which includes benefits in the form of on-boarding, free cataloguing, marketing, account management, business insights and warehousing support.
"The ODOP scheme was introduced to give a boost to the MSME sector while preserving and promoting the exquisite, indigenous legacy of art in Uttar Pradesh," said Navneet Sehgal, Additional Chief Secretary for MSME and Export Promotion.
"We are confident that the partnership with Flipkart will enable artisans and the MSMEs in Uttar Pradesh to scale up their business and showcase their skills to a national audience," he said.
Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Flipkart Group, said that the rich art and handicrafts of Uttar Pradesh will now be available to our more than 250 million consumers across India.
"We are delighted to partner with the Uttar Pradesh government to leverage the power of technology and innovation through e-commerce to enable artisans and craftsmen to realise their full potential," he said in a statement late on Friday.
Flipkart has previously signed an MoU with the Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board to benefit weavers and artisans by introducing khadi fabrics and village industry products on the Flipkart marketplace.
( With inputs from ANI )