Lok Sabha Question No. 4217 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: ONDC Platform
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri P C Mohan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4217.

TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 19 TH  AUGUST, 2025.

## ONDC PLATFORM

## 4217.  SHRI P C MOHAN:

## Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state: वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री

- (a) the total number of registered users and organizations currently on the ONDC platform in the country;
- (b) the number of such vendors enrolled in Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha Constituency;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any targeted awareness or onboarding drives to encourage enrollment of small retailers and street vendors on ONDC;
- (d) if  so,  the details thereof along with the details of such initiatives undertaken, including the number of beneficiaries and locations covered; and
- (e) the steps being taken to enhance digital capacity building and ease of access for traditional retailers to benefit from the ONDC platform?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री ( श्री णिणिन प्रसाद ) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

- (a) : Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is not a platform or an application or marketplace, it is a network that connects buyers and sellers across different platforms.  Unlike  traditional  platform-centric  models,  ONDC  is  an  open, interoperable  network  that  allows  small  businesses  to  participate  without depending on a single platform. ONDC, therefore, does not track the number of consumers/buyers. As of 10th August 2025, more than 7.5 lakh sellers and service providers are live on the network from over 630 cities and towns across India. Of these, over 1.2 lakh sellers are in the retail domains.
- (b): As  on  10  August  2025,  more  than  21,800  sellers  are  live  on  the  ONDC network in Karnataka, including over 19,700 sellers in Bengaluru.
- (c) to (e): Yes,  the  Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  promote  awareness  and increase adoption of ONDC for small retailers and street vendors. Ministry of MSME's Scheme 'MSME Trade Enablement and Marketing (MSME TEAM)

Initiative',  focuses  on  onboarding  MSMEs  onto  the  ONDC  platform  and supporting  in  their  e-commerce  journey.  By  helping  them  access  different markets, it enables the MSMEs in widening their customer base and increase their  income.  This  will  also  strengthen  the  trustworthiness  and  credibility  of MSMEs  by  establishing  their  digital  presence  and  transaction  history.  The Outlay  of  the  Scheme  is  Rs.  277 Crore  with  5  Lakh  MSMEs  as  Target Beneficiaries (50% to women).

Training on digital literacy and e-commerce operations is in-built in the MSME TEAM Initiative in various places including Tier II and III cities, and rural area. The number of MSMEs onboarded on MSME TEAM portal as on 23rd July 2025 is 2834 of which 1068 are women owned enterprises. As on 28 July 2025, 24 awareness workshops have been conducted under TEAM Scheme.

In addition, ONDC has also taken several initiatives for capacity building for sellers, artisans, and rural micro-entrepreneurs across the country as part of its broader  mission  to  democratize  access  to  digital  commerce.  ONDC  has developed a Handbook to help sellers (especially first time sellers) succeed in digital  commerce  in  14  languages.  ONDC  has  partnered  with  Bhashini  to improve app development and e-commerce in Indic languages. Whatsapp Bot 'ONDC Sahayak' has been launched in 5 languages to help sellers and buyers get  information  about  ONDC.  The  Digital  Readiness  Assessment  Tool, developed with the Quality Council of India (QCI), helps assess and enhance the digital capabilities of artisans and MSMEs, ensuring they are prepared for sustainable digital  commerce participation. These initiatives are designed to empower rural entrepreneurs and small businesses across India to participate in and benefit from the digital commerce ecosystem enabled by ONDC.

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