The central government’s Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is planning to diversify its services by incorporating skill-based offerings, such as appliance repair and teaching assistance. Currently, ONDC enables participants to provide services related to food, groceries, and mobility.
Shireesh Joshi, Chief Business Officer at ONDC, revealed this expansion plan in an exclusive interview, stating that they have received numerous requests from organizations and state governments for categories not yet available on the network. Skill-based services represent one of these requested categories.
The platform is preparing to build the necessary protocol to enable these services and attract network participants. Joshi suggested that platforms like Urban Company could be suitable candidates.
However, he cautioned that there would be a gestation period before these services become visible on the network. ONDC is still in the early stages of discussions regarding this expansion.
ONDC has also received requests for industrial products like metal alloys and construction materials. They are evaluating these requests and plan to enable them based on the progress made.
Despite these expansions, ONDC remains committed to its rural outreach efforts, working with organizations like the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and NABARD to connect with small farmers and rural entrepreneurs.
ONDC has experienced significant growth, with weekly average orders exceeding 1 lakh transactions per day and monthly transactions surpassing 3 million. It has also entered the international market for B2B exports with Proxtera, a Singapore-based buying application.
Shireesh Joshi expressed confidence in ONDC’s growth, emphasizing that the network is set to expand further as more cities and sellers join.
