ONDC Launches DigiHaat Platform to Connect Rural Sellers with Online Markets
Government Initiative to Formalize Informal Economy
New Delhi – March 27 – The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has launched DigiHaat, a new platform designed to connect India’s artisans, farmers, and small producers with online markets, as part of the government’s efforts to formalize the country’s vast informal economy. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) announced the launch on Friday.DigiHaat is a dedicated buyer-side application that directly connects rural and underserved seller communities with online markets. Unlike other ONDC apps, which are privately run, DigiHaat represents ONDC’s own marketplace presence and serves as a testing ground for new features.
The platform currently offers a diverse range of products, including handicrafts, agricultural goods, packaged foods, and lifestyle items. A key focus is on supporting women entrepreneurs and self-help group (SHG)-linked producers from remote regions.
Sellers already onboarded to DigiHaat include block-print textile makers from Jaipur, bronze artisans from Bastar, shawl producers from Kashmir, and organic farmer-producer organizations from Sikkim.
A unique feature of DigiHaat is its integration with mobility services. Ride-hailing services Namma Yatri and Bharat Taxi are currently available on the app, with further mobility players expected to join the network in the coming months.
To simplify digital onboarding for small and rural sellers, a Beta AI toolkit is being developed. This toolkit includes vernacular cataloguing tools, automated product listing from photographs, and logistics intelligence to reduce delivery failures and returns.
The government aims to bring nearly 10 crore small producers – including farmers, weavers, dairy operators, tribal enterprises, and artisans – onto the ONDC network. The broader goal is to boost incomes and integrate these communities into the formal financial system.
ONDC, operating under DPIIT, was created to build an open and decentralized alternative to traditional e-commerce platforms.
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