An awareness and sensitisation program on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) was held Tuesday at the Directorate of Industries and Commerce (DoI&C) Kohima, wherein the objectives and aim of ONDC were highlighted.
According to a DIPR report, addressing the programme, commissioner and secretary, I&C, Kekhrievor Kevichusa, said ONDC is an initiative of the government of India to promote open networks for all aspects of exchange goods and services over digital network.
He said ONDC aims to enable local retail ecosystems to access and fulfil online demands and enhance business efficiencies by reducing various cost overheads such as acquisition costs, digital presence costs and inventory costs across all businesses.
Kevichusa stressed on logistics service providers, which are lagging in Nagaland as some rural areas are left out. However, he said ONDC was expected to make e-commerce more inclusive and accessible for both buyers and sellers.
He said ONDC would help in economic development and livelihood, creating opportunities across the digital commerce value chain including logistics, packaging, last-mile delivery and other areas.
Kevichusa said ONDC encourages local growth and helps local entrepreneurs in reaching out to local markets and encourages participation in e-commerce, giving coverage to all businesses irrespective of size, location, digital quotient and other areas.
Senior vice president of Institutional and Government Banking, Yes Bank Limited, Ravi Roy, appreciated the effort of organising the first of its kind awareness of ONDC in Nagaland.
He said ONDC seeks to democratise digital or electronic commerce, moving it from a platform-centric model to an open-network. He said ONDC would help the local entrepreneurs to sell their produce in the market.
Roy then said Nagaland has lots to provide and that it was the right time to venture into e-commerce.
A technical session on ONDC, Addble Solutions Private Limited (AS) Pvt. Ltd. and Book Now Pay Later (BNPL) were taken up by Pooja Bajaj Bagaria from ONDC, Yaikhomba, founder of AS Pvt. Ltd., and Daniel Domeh from System Manager Post Office Kohima, respectively.