It is Chapter 3 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023. Its aim is to turn each district into an export hub, by identifying products and services with export potential, removing bottlenecks, helping local firms scale up and reach overseas buyers, and building exporters' capacity. It targets MSMEs, farmers and small-scale industries.

The Handbook of Procedures (Para 3.03) says it is usually chaired by the Collector, District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner, co-chaired by the designated DGFT Regional Authority, and convened by the General Manager of the District Industries Centre. Members include the Lead Bank Manager, MSME and sector representatives, quality and standards bodies, trade associations, and State and Central departments.

• Prepares and puts into action the district's export action plan.
• Benchmarks current exports and identifies new products with potential.
• Looks at gaps in quality, competitiveness, infrastructure, logistics and standards.
• Identifies training needs, and enters district data on the DGFT portal.
• Handles exporter grievances.
• Organises buyer-seller meets and trade fairs.
• Acts as the "one point facilitator for export promotion" at district level.

This is a summary of the functions in Para 3.04 of the Handbook.

Under FTP Para 3.2, a plan for each district that prioritises two or three high-potential products or services, with short-term and long-term targets that can be measured. It can cover policy and regulatory reforms, infrastructure and logistics from producer to destination (aggregation, testing, certification, packaging, cold chain and destination standards), and problems with Geographical Indication products.

Para 3.6 mentions product-specific or sector-specific training, outreach, buyer-seller meets, trade fairs and workshops. The Handbook (Para 3.05) mentions the Market Access Initiative scheme of the Department of Commerce for reverse buyer-seller meets. The chapter does not set grant amounts. It also says central and state schemes are to be brought together.

Yes. Each State or Union Territory has a State Export Promotion Committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, with the DGFT Regional Authority as co-convener. It prepares and monitors the state's export strategy and monitors the district committees (Para 3.06).

Each district is assigned to a jurisdictional DGFT Regional Authority, which is responsible for the district export hub activities there (Para 3.07). Appendix 1A of the Handbook lists the jurisdictions. DGFT also plans an online portal for district export data, open to the public (Para 3.08).

The chapter does not mention ODOP by name. It does say each district should identify products with export potential, using examples such as Geographical Indication products and agricultural and toy clusters. To see the ODOP product for your district, use our ODOP District Finder.

• Find out who your District Industries Centre contact and your DGFT Regional Authority are.
• Ask whether your product is in the district's action plan.
• Ask about training, buyer-seller meets and trade fairs for your sector.
• Raise your export bottlenecks with the committee. Handling grievances is part of its job.

Yes. Tell us your district and your product. We will help you check the policy rules, the papers and the support you can ask for. We are just a call and a message away.