The Indian embassy in Bahrain has recently upheld the promotion of the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme through various roadshows like exhibitions, roadshows, and various campaigns. This is to promote tourism in India. This is their sixth initiative following Rajasthan, Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Odisha. This ODOP scheme focuses on promoting one signature product from each district. This time, they are promoting Punjab's rich culture and heritage. This exhibition, which is open for a month, seeks to promote tourism and trade between Bahrain and India. This initiative aligns with the Ministry of Tourism's “Dekho Apna Desh” campaign.
This initiative aims to achieve several important things:
- Boost cultural exchange
- Increase tourism and trade
- Support regional economic growth
- Strengthen India's global presence
This aims to achieve tangible benefits for Punjab’s localities, businesses, and economy, but as every initiative has pros and cons, this one unfortunately does too.
The Risks Related to Cultural Commodification and the Erosion of Authenticity
When local culture is primarily presented for economic or commercial advantage, there is a distinct danger that traditional practices, rituals, and artistic expressions may be oversimplified, modified, or performed out of context for the broader tourist market. This could result in losing cultural value over time for the local community. Festivals once deeply rooted in religious or seasonal events might become mere tourist attractions, shifting their focus from authentic celebration to commercial ventures.
Promotion of craftsmanship may initially promote local trades and businesses, resulting in a boost, but if not carefully managed and controlled, it might lead to mass production that prioritises volume and standardisation over traditional techniques and individual craftsmanship, losing the authenticity and pride that is derived from cultural handcrafted artefacts.
This immerses in a “staged authenticity” rather than a truly meaningful and respectful cultural exchange. This creates a shallow experience for tourists and cultural alienation among the people of Punjab.
The Risk of Socio-Economic and Infrastructural Obstacles
We are anticipating a rise in economic benefits, but that may not be the case—at least not for the local community. Larger conglomerates or external investors could gain a disproportionate share of the profits. This could worsen existing inequality, leaving local merchants feeling marginalised by this initiative. An increase in the sudden demand for popular tourist sites could result in a rise in prices, making it unaffordable for locals or requiring a larger portion of their pay cheques.
Besides the locals, the broken state of the streets and infrastructure—like inadequate transportation networks, limited accommodation, and insufficient facilities such as well-maintained roads, reliable communication systems, and medical services—could make Punjab seem unappealing or poor, potentially resulting in tourists losing sight of its important and rich culture.
An increase in tourist arrivals and ODOP production without improving the infrastructure could strain the system, leading to overcrowding, traffic congestion, and potential shortages of essential services, resulting in a poorer or diminished experience for both locals and tourists.
As for the special product promotion, they might find it difficult to get loans. Many locals might not have the right skills to improve their product and sell it quickly and widely. It can be tricky to sell these products from local towns and villages to bigger markets, both in India and other countries. If the district sees profit in one product and increases only its production—putting more resources into that area—it might result in problems for day-to-day trades. Furthermore, if the demand for the said product drops suddenly, the economy could collapse, resulting in a sudden change in economic well-being.
To avoid these issues, there needs to be a clear plan that includes local communities, fair sharing of benefits, and better support for things like roads, communication, and training.
Implementation Challenges
Local industry and artisans' opposition may hinder the scheme's effectiveness. One of the hurdles could be local creditors' hesitation towards providing loans or credit due to perceived risk or lack of collateral, making it difficult for businesses to expand or even manage daily expenses.
Furthermore, gaps in managerial figures and creative blocks can hinder their ability to innovate, maintain quality standards, and adopt new technologies and methods to adapt in the broader market. Access to modern technology and methodology can be scarce, impacting the volume and quality of production of the products.
The supply chain dynamic is tricky to manage. Without proper transportation, goods can be damaged on arrival. Without enough storage facilities, goods could become a burden to locals, disturbing their daily activities and possibly forcing them to sell at a lower price than they’re worth, just to get rid of them.
The Backlashes Are Evident
Beyond these practical hurdles, the ambitious promotion of Punjab's unique cultural products on a global stage carries the inherent risk of misrepresentation or negative perceptions, which could ultimately harm rather than enhance Punjab's image. Avoiding stereotyping on such a global scale could be hard. If not done correctly, it could offend the people of Punjab. Oversimplifying Punjab's rich and multifaceted heritage to fit a convenient marketing narrative could lead to a shallow understanding or, worse, perpetuate outdated or inaccurate descriptions of cultural nuances. History has proven that when culture is showcased out of context or presented for commercial gain, it can cause backlashes and deprive the whole scheme of its true intention—especially in today’s world, where inclusivity and authenticity are very important.
If the promotional efforts create unrealistic expectations among tourists, their eventual disappointment could manifest in negative reviews and word-of-mouth, damaging Punjab's reputation as a desirable destination. Similarly, missteps in presenting ODOP products abroad—whether through insensitive branding, failure to comply with international standards, or logistical failures—could lead to financial losses for the participating businesses and cast a shadow over the entire initiative.
Ensuring that Punjab's cultural identity and products are conveyed with respect, accuracy, and genuine engagement will be paramount to building lasting positive relationships and avoiding such detrimental backlashes.
References:
- Inadequate access to credit, lack of skills, and supply chain integration challenges for ODOP: ResearchGate
- Lack of infrastructure in Punjab tourism: Pacific Business Review International
- Punjab tourism and ODOP initiative details and promotion: Invest India.