Lucknow, Oct 29 (KNN) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that under the One District One Programme (ODOP) scheme so far over 1.65 lakh persons have been provided employment by the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.

While addressing a special summit on traditional handicraft of Lucknow, ‘chikan and zardozi’, he said that the future belonged to the MSME sector as it was growing at fast pace and was also labor intensive.

Yogi said the creation of huge job opportunities with low capital investment was the unique feature of the ODOP scheme.

The Chief Minister said that along with the e-commerce companies, the state government had taken a series of measures to create enabling environment for the marketing of products of the MSME sector in national and international market.

The Chief Minister said that so far 11,755 artisans of different crafts had been provided loan amounting to over Rs 1,000 crore.

MSME and Export Promotion Minister Satyadeo Pachauri said that ever since the launch of ODOP scheme, it was steadily surging ahead with special emphasis on capacity and skill enhancement of the entrepreneurs.

He also said that besides training, modern tools had been provided to a large number of entrepreneurs in all the 75 districts of the state.

Yogi released a catalogue ‘Zari-Zardozi’ on the occasion.

He distributed tool kits and cheques of loan to 10 entrepreneurs.

Prominent e-commerce companies made their presentations on the occasion and provided marketing platforms to the small entrepreneurs producing traditional handicraft items and other products.

 He quoted, “Two years ago, UP was nowhere in the priority of investors. The ODOP scheme has changed the profile of the state. It gives me immense pleasure that the ODOP scheme, launched by the BJP government, is acquiring concrete shape in the state resulting in investments and job creation.”

The CM assured the entrepreneurs that there would be no dearth of budgetary support for the ODOP scheme.