Lok Sabha Question No. 234 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-04
Subject: Export Hubs Scheme, 2024
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Smt. Shambhavi, Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar, Shri Rajesh Verma, Dr. D. Purandeswari, Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 234 ANSWERED ON 04/02/2025

## EXPORT HUBS SCHEME, 2024

## 234.  SHRI RAJESH VERMA:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRI RAVINDRA DATTARAM WAIKAR:

SMT. SHAMBHAVI:

SHRI NARESH GANPAT MHASKE:

DR. D. PURANDESWARI:

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

- (a) the details of the current progress on Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) Scheme in 2024;
- (b) the  impact  of  merging  One  District  One  Product  (ODOP)  Scheme  with  Districts  as Export Hubs Scheme;
- (c) the  details  of  data  on  the  increase  of  products,  exports  and  economic  activity  in  the country  under  the  said  scheme  in  2024  in  comparison  to  previous  years,  State/UT-wise particularly in Bihar, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh;
- (d) the details of data on employment generation at grassroots level under the said scheme during 2024; and
- (e) whether balanced regional developments have been fostered in all districts of the country under the said scheme and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद )

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) &  (b) Under  the  Districts  as  Export  Hubs  initiative  of  DGFT,  the  export  promotion activities  are  being  decentralised  to  make  the  districts  active  stakeholders  in  boosting  export growth  of  the  identified  products  and  services  from  the  districts  to  leverage  their  natural competitive advantages. An institutional mechanism has been set up in all States/UTs by forming the  State  Export  Promotion  Committee  (SEPC)  and  District  Export  Promotion  Committee (DEPC) at the district level. Under this initiative, District Export Action Plans (DEAP) detailing the existing bottlenecks in the supply chain and identifying possible interventions to mitigate the existing gaps for export of identified products and services have been prepared for 590 districts. Additionally, DGFT has been organizing outreach events with e-commerce partners, government stakeholders,  and  industry  associations  to  provide  training,  capacity  building,  and  support  for businesses, MSMEs, and small scale exporters to succeed in global markets.

In December 2022, the One District, One Product (ODOP) was merged with the DEH initiative to  streamline  support  for  exporters  and  manufacturers  at  district  level.  DGFT  in  collaboration with  the  Department  for  Promotion  of  Industry  and  Internal  Trade  (DPIIT)  has  been  working with the States/UTs and the districts to organize export sensitization and promotion workshops. These workshops are designed to equip stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and tools to navigate global trade. Further, various activities have been undertaken to promote and enhance the visibility of products and services identified under the ODOP and Districts as Export Hubs (DEH)  initiative  both  within  India  and  internationally.  Export  promotion  activities  at  the international level include engagement with Indian Missions abroad, virtual buyer-seller meets, and participation in international exhibitions.

(c) & (d) It is clarified that DEH has been running as an initiative and there is no scheme as on  date.  Therefore,  the  question  of  exports  of  products,  employment  generation  under  this scheme does not arise.

(e) Under the DEH initiative, export promotion measures have been implemented across all districts  in  India.  It  is  further  submitted  that  products  and  services  with  export  potential  have been  identified  in  734  districts,  with  District  Export  Action  Plans  (DEAP)  prepared  for  590 districts.  A  list  of  district-wise  products/services  with  export  potential  identified  under  the initiative, is available at: (www.dgft.gov. in/CP)

In  Chapter  9  of  the  Foreign  Trade  Policy  (FTP)  2023,  facilitating  cross-border  e-commerce exports from lndia has also been emphasized. In light of this, DGFT Regional Authorities have been organizing "Outreach Events" under Districts As Exports Hubs to promote the products/services with export potential as identified under the Initiative. In 2024, as a result of collaborations  with  e-commerce  partners,  10  district  export  outreach  events  were  held  in Faridabad,  Moradabad,  Ludhiana,  Jodhpur,  Bangalore,  Ahmedabad,  Hyderabad,  Mumbai, Jamshedpur, and Varanasi from March to June. The second phase of these outreach events has

been successfully  conducted in  Howrah, Jaipur,  Haridwar, Kanpur Nagar, Madurai, Mirzapur, Rajkot, Balasore, Jalandhar, Agra, and Meerut between October 2024 and January 2025.

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