The government has decided to set up an independent organisation to run the Prime Minister's "One Village-One Product" programme to promote rural products of the country. "As a first step, a special cell is being set up in Small & Medium Enterprises Development Organisation (Smeda), which would be converted into an independent organisation to work smoothly for achieving the objectives of this project at a later stage, sources told Business Recorder on Monday.
"A number of developments have taken place regarding "One Village-One Product" in recent days, sources said, to boost economic activities in rural parts of the country.
Sources said that initially 13 products have been selected for this programme, which would be launched in eight districts of four provinces in the first phase and would be expanded to other parts of the country later.
Regarding financing for the project, the source disclosed that the government has decided to redirect the Asian Development Bank (ADB) funding for the Rural Modernisation Programme (RMP) to the Prime Minister's "One Village-One Product" project.
Besides, the government has also decided to form management companies to run this programme efficiently. The setting up of such a company at the federal level has been decided in principle, while the work for these at the provincial level is under way.
Sources disclosed that Smeda and two provinces - Punjab & Balochistan - have reached an understanding for setting up management companies whereas it is being pursued with other provinces.
"Smeda officials are expected to arrive in Karachi this week to discuss it with the investment officials of the Sindh government, sources added.
The idea of these management companies was first floated in a meeting, presided over by the prime minister some time back, and it was decided to set up a management company first at the federal level. However, it was pointed out that it would be difficult for a company, established at the federal level to cover the whole of the country from the federal capital.
Sources said that the federal management company would provide development support, policy guidelines, co-ordination and technical assistance to such companies at the provincial level, while the companies at provincial levels would undertake the implementation of this project.
The idea of "One Village-One Product" project has been taken from Thailand, when Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz visited that country and was impressed by economic activities this scheme was generating in rural areas.
Sources said that the basic objective behind this programme is to promote rural products other than agricultural ones locally and internationally. The rural parts of the country have so many products, in abundance, but the potential of these could not be exploited as these were not being projected and marketed properly.
On marketing and promotion aspects of rural products, sources said that Smeda is devising its own strategy to market these products with the involvement of private sector in it.
The marketing strategy will differ from one, adopted by Thailand for such products. In Thai case, these are showcased at the government-controlled display centres for marketing purposes, but in Pakistan, private sector would be involved in marketing these products locally and internationally.
Sources said that Smeda is also considering to give "One Village-One Product" indigenous name because the said name is taken from Thailand.
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