Guwahati, May 15: Stations across the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) are showcasing local items under the ‘One Station One Product’ (OSOP) scheme to provide a market for indigenous products and create additional income opportunities for the marginalised sections of society.
Official sources on Monday informed that as many as 107 OSOP outlets under the jurisdiction of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) are functioning as on May 10, 2023, spreading over 36 railway stations across Assam, 33 in West Bengal and one in Arunachal Pradesh.
“Some major stations include Guwahati, Dibrugarh, New Tinsukia in Assam and New Alipurduar, New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. All the stalls are showcasing and marketing varieties of distinct and invaluable products which are locally manufactured,” an official statement said.
A variety of Assamese pithas, traditional gamosa, japi, indigenous handloom and handicraft items, attire as well as other local food products are catching the attention of passengers at the OSOP outlets at Guwahati railway station.
The Union ministry of railways had launched the ‘One Station One Product’ (OSOP) scheme over Indian Railways last year with the objective of promoting the ‘Vocal for Local’ vision of the Government of India, provide a market for local/indigenous products and create additional income opportunities for the marginalised sections of society.
Under the scheme, OSOP outlets at railway stations are allotted for showcasing, selling and giving high visibility to indigenous/local products specific to that place or indigenously grown in the area.
Besides providing an exposure to indigenous culture and traditions, OSOP brings a drastic change to the life of the vendors and their families.
The OSOP scheme has created financial security for the families of vendors who are running the OSOP outlets.
Sumari Narzary, a proprietor of one of the OSOP outlets at Guwahati railway station, expressed her satisfaction and thanked the central government and the railway ministry for providing people like her a source of livelihood as well as a platform to display the culture and traditions of Assam.
The scheme, which has helped in uplifting the local economy, was incepted on March 25, 2022 and, as on May 1, 2023, 728 stations are covered with 785 OSOP outlets in 21 states and three Union Territories across the country.
Designed at the National Design Institute for uniformity, these OSOP outlets have directly benefitted 25,109 persons from March 2022 till May 1, 2023 is 25,109.
