Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Rural retail gets a ‘suppat’ surprise by Antara Bose

Rural retail gets a ‘suppat’ surprise by Antara Bose

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Dec 20, 2010   modified Modified on Dec 20, 2010

No celebrity visits or satellite banking system? Never mind, bring on ‘suppat’.

Unlike Doba, three other villages of Lohardaga district may not have been lucky enough to get Reserve Bank of India’s smart card based satellite-banking system. But they have a ‘suppat’ surprise up their sleeves.

‘Suppat’ or ‘super’ in tribal dialect, is also the name of a rural chain of mom-and-pop stores initiated by a private party, Dynamic Tarang Pvt Ltd, and Lohardaga Gram Swarajya Sansthan, which is heralding a quiet rural retail revolution.

Take 25-year-old Taramoni Oraon of Harmu village in Lohardaga, for instance. The rural homemaker is now Suppat didi, thanks to the Sheetal Suppat Stores in her village. She manufactures certain products, sells a lot more over the counter and manages the store.

Using the corporate wisdom that growth lies at the bottom of the pyramid as the springboard, the initiative — now some days and three stores old — attempts to start production and retail units in 100 villages in Lohardaga through women’s self-help groups, with women as wealth-creators and store managers.

As a pilot project, three Sheetal Suppat Stores have been inaugurated at villages Malangtuli, Chalo Mahuari and Harmu, between November 22 and December 8.

“Initially, villagers had to travel around 3km to the town to get necessary items of daily use. But since December 8, when our store started, villagers come to us instead of spending money on commuting. We women have a chance to earn well too,” said Taramoni.

Stores will stock grocery items, toiletries and snacks. A three-tier management system, comprising a consumer services division, a district supply unit and Suppat Stores will manage logistics and community mobilisation. One store will cater to 250 households or a population between 1,000 and 1,500, while the profit-sharing ratio between the self-help group and Dynamic Tarang is pegged at 52:48.

The two-way supply chain will cater to both rural and urban buyers. Products like tamarind and lac are rural produce, but consumed mainly in cities, while toothpaste and biscuits are manufactured in cities but consumed by villagers also. But both populations consume rural produce such as flour, turmeric and ginger.

“The Suppat Stores have increased rural employment based on local skill and interest. Surveys on consumer behaviour and community preparedness survey have been done in villages to gauge market potential. The second survey was supported by Nabard,” said Manish Kumar, Dynamic Tarang chairman-cum-managing director, adding that the firm has also approached Nabard, Jharkhand, to extend the rural retail project.

“The project design is excellent and a unique opportunity to increase rural employment. The funding budget is around Rs 1 crore. I have sent details to my head office and they are under consideration,” said Nabard (Jharkhand) general manager M.V. Ashok.


The Telegraph, 20 December, 2010, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101220/jsp/frontpage/story_13322942.jsp


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close