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Media conglomerate Jagran Prakashan’s digital vertical, Jagran New Media, is set to roll out a buyer-side application on the government-backed protocol Open Network of Digital Commerce (ONDC) as early as next month, according to a source aware of the development.

Named ‘Khojle’, the feature will put Jagran in direct competition with Paytm, PhonePe’s Pincode, magicpin, and Mystore, among others.

Buyer apps are the primary point of contact between buyers and sellers, enabling users to shop for products including food, grocery, electronics, and apparel sourced from a range of sellers enrolled with ONDC.

Jagran’s buyer app is likely to enable greater adoption of online commerce led by ONDC among Tier II and Tier III consumers through its strong readership of over 88.6 million. Its parent Jagran Prakashan is a large media group which owns 10 publications, including Dainik Jagran, and Midday across 13 states in five different languages. It operates 39 radio stations including 91.1 FM.

Jagran did not respond to queries sent by YourStory. ONDC declined to comment.

Plotch.ai is providing technical support to Khojle to join ONDC, the source added. Founded in 2020 by Craftsvilla co-founder Manoj Gupta, Plotch.ai enables brands to list on the ecommerce protocol by offering software and technology support. The startup has enabled more than 19 firms including Paytm, Meesho, and Snapdeal to date.

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Plotch.ai’s pursuit to help brands join ONDC is a push towards expanding India’s retail sector

“ONDC has been trying to tap into markets beyond metro cities. Jagran’s entry could nudge Tier II and III users by bringing credibility to the table. It’s a smart strategy,” the person told YourStory on the condition of anonymity.

The T Koshy-led ecommerce initiative entered Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut in December 2022, making it the first Tier II city to go live on the network. ONDC crossed 5.5 million transactions in December 2023, the highest monthly count since inception, as per a report by The Economic Times.

So far, ONDC has a network of nearly 13 buyer apps and over 46 seller-side apps, according to the website.