THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
JUNE 18, 2026
The Odisha Government
is exploring a strategic collaboration with the Open Network for Digital
Commerce (ONDC) to significantly expand e-commerce participation and market access
for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), farmer producer organisations
(FPOs), self-help groups (SHGs), traditional artisans, weavers and other seller
communities across the state.
The initiative came
into focus during a high-level meeting chaired by Odisha Chief Secretary Anu
Garg on Thursday, where members of the ONDC team made a detailed presentation
on leveraging the digital commerce network to integrate Odisha’s grassroots
producers and entrepreneurs into the national marketplace.
ONDC, a flagship
initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
(DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, aims
to democratise digital commerce through an open and interoperable network. The
platform seeks to make e-commerce more accessible and inclusive by enabling
seamless digital transactions across goods and services while reducing barriers
for small businesses.
Officials informed
the meeting that ONDC currently facilitates nearly 20 million digital
transactions every month across sectors such as retail trade, logistics,
financial services, transportation and travel. The platform is also actively
collaborating with more than ten Union ministries to promote digital commerce
across various sectors.
During the
presentation, ONDC representatives highlighted the vast opportunities the
platform offers for Odisha. They noted that the state’s iconic tourism
destinations, including Konark, Puri, Chilika, Similipal and Bhitarkanika,
along with its eco-tourism attractions and rich tribal culture, could gain
significantly greater visibility on global digital platforms through ONDC
integration.
The move is expected
to boost domestic and international tourist arrivals, increase tourism revenue
and create additional employment opportunities at the local level. It would
also enable local tour operators, homestay owners, Mission Shakti groups,
ORMAS-supported enterprises, handicraft artisans, weavers and MSME
entrepreneurs to directly market their products and services to customers
across India.
The ONDC platform is
also expected to provide a major boost to the promotion of Odisha’s unique
products, handicrafts and tourism offerings at the national level, helping
local producers overcome geographical limitations and gain access to wider
markets.
Emphasising the
importance of digital inclusion, Chief Secretary Anu Garg underlined the need
for close collaboration with ONDC to address existing challenges related to
e-commerce participation and market access in Odisha. She stressed the
importance of creating more digital opportunities that can help small sellers
scale up their businesses and achieve greater visibility in national markets.
She also encouraged efforts to bring Odisha’s tourism and eco-tourism destinations onto the ONDC network, stating that such integration would enhance the state's visibility across the country while offering seamless online booking facilities to travellers and tourists.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary of the Electronics and Information Technology Department Vishal Kumar Dev, along with secretaries and senior officials from the Departments of Commerce and Transport, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Mission Shakti, Tourism, Industries, Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development, among others.
