MAINS Current Affairs includes One District One Product (ODOP) & Government to Launch Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) Safety Technology

Economy

1. One District One Product (ODOP)

Context

• The One District One Product (ODOP) initiative has completed 8 years of transformative impactby promoting traditional industries.

About

• The ODOP initiative, spearheaded by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), aims to unlock each district’s unique economic potential, drive balanced regional growth, and equip local artisans to compete in national and global markets.
• Product Selection Framework under ODOP: Products are selected by States and Union Territories based on the existing ecosystem on the ground and the final list is communicated to the DPIIT.
• ODOP was first launched in 2018with Moradabad’s brassware in Uttar Pradesh and has since expanded nationwide.
• The ODOP has so far identified 1243 productsfrom 775 districts across the country encompassing various sectors such as textiles, agriculture, food processing, handicrafts and more

Government Initiatives for Promotion of ODOP

• Through e-commerce initiatives like the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)-ODOP Bazaar,India’s finest ODOP products are being showcased to wider markets, empowering artisans and expanding market access.
• PM Ekta Malls (Unity Malls) are envisaged as dedicated retail and display hubs for promoting and selling ODOP, GI and handicraft products.
• Global Outreach of ODOP:
  • 80+ Indian Missionshave promoted products abroad through exhibitions, showcases, ODOP walls or diplomatic gifting.
  • In order to popularize ODOP products internationally, they were included as part of gifting during G-20 meetings.
  • Three international stores are selling ODOP products (02 in Singapore– in Mustafa Centre and in Kashmir Heritage and One in Kuwait-Hakimi Centre) to strengthen sustained overseas market presence.
• Under the District as Export Hub (DEH) initiative, identification of the products and services with export potential in all the districts of the country is done in consultation with all stakeholders including the States/UTs.

Significance of the Scheme

• Balanced Regional Development: The ODOP initiative promotes equitable economic growth by decentralising industrial activity and leveraging district-specific strengths.
• Empowerment of Artisans:By providing access to finance, skill development, technology, and market linkages, ODOP empowers local artisans and craftsmen enabling them to scale production and improve incomes.
• Preservation of Heritage:The initiative supports traditional crafts, indigenous knowledge systems, and cultural industries, ensuring the preservation of India’s rich artisanal heritage.
• Economic Impact: ODOP strengthens local value chains, encourages formalisation, and contributes to inclusive and sustainable economic growth at the grassroots level.
• Global Recognition:District-specific products gain global visibility, positioning India as a hub of quality, diversity, and craftsmanship.

Concluding remarks

• The One District One Product initiative has converted local skills into engines of economic growth, national recognition, and global opportunity.
• It now represents not just district-specific products, but the millions of aspirations finding recognition far beyond their villages

Governance

2. Government to Launch Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) Safety Technology

Context: The government is preparing to roll out Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) safety technology to curb road accident deaths and ease traffic congestion.

• V2V is a wireless communication system that allows vehicles to exchange real-time data such as speed, position, acceleration, and braking status.
• A subset of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) under the Intelligent Transport System, the technology functions like aviation systems where aircraft continuously broadcast location and speed.
  V2V is in use in several advanced countries.

• The system will be fitted in vehicles, enabling them to detect others within a 300-metre range and alert drivers about blackspots, obstacles, fog, parked vehicles, or any hazards.
• Challenges remain—limited spectrum, risk of miscommunication, privacy concerns, and the threat of cyberattacks. No rollout date has been announced yet.
  • India leads the world in annual road accident deaths. In 2024, fatalities rose 3% to over 1.77 lakh, meaning 485 deaths daily.
  • China accounts for 36% of India’s toll, while the US accounts for 25%.
  • According to World Road Statistics 2024, fatality rates per lakh population are: China (4.3), USA (12.76), India (11.89).

Global Context

• The UN General Assembly launched the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030) to cut global road deaths by 50%.
• The 2nd Global High-Level Conference on Road Safety in Brazil declared 2011–2020 the first “Decade of Action.”
• The Brasilia Declaration (2015) committed countries, including India, to reducing road fatalities by half under SDG 3.6.

Government Measures

• National Road Safety Policy (2010): Better roads, strict enforcement, emergency care, awareness, and post-crash systems.
• e-DAR / iRAD: Central platforms for reporting and analysing accident data.
• Good Samaritan Scheme: ₹25,000 reward; simplified compensation procedures.
• Hit-and-run compensation: ₹2 lakh (death), ₹50,000 (injury).
• Vehicle fitness: Model inspection centres across 28 states/UTs (as of 2024).
• Collaboration with IIT Madras to establish a Centre of Excellence for Road Safety.
• Blackspot rectification and mandatory road safety audits for all highway phases.
• Motor Vehicles Amendment Act (2019): Higher penalties for unsafe driving behaviours.

Way Forward

V2V systems promise strong gains in road safety, and countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Mexico are also piloting them.

India can deepen collaboration with IITs and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) to refine policies and accelerate deployment.

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