The open public digital infrastructure framework, the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), is all set to launch its beta version in April.
Anil Agrawal, Additional Secretary-DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is bullish about what lies ahead. “We have identified five cities — Delhi, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Shillong and Bhopal — as we wanted to keep a geographical spread across the board. We have a trader base in these five cities which is getting prepared on the intricacies of transacting on ONDC,” he said, while speaking at the TiEcon Delhi-NCR Unstoppable India virtual event held last month.
The beta mode is likely to be completed by the end of April and the launch is expected to be in August. “Companies such as Paytm, Dunzo, PhonePe, Go Frugal, GrowthFalcons and Microsoft are in advanced stages of integration with ONDC. We have moved much beyond the hype,” he said, responding to a question on how it is being seen by some as another “hyped up initiative by the government.
Incorporated in December 2021, the proposed network seeks to control digital monopolies and create more inclusiveness within the digital commerce ecosystem. It is expected to benefit the millions of small retailers for whom traditional ecommerce platforms are still out of reach.
Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/sme-sector/ondc-governments-amazon-flipkart-challenger-will-see-pilot-launch-in-5-cities-in-april/articleshow/90698190.cms
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