Guj to convert fair price shops to rural malls

Ahmedabad, July 31: Even as the Reliance Industries and Wal-Mart are eyeing what they perceive as vast untapped retail market, Gujarat has embarked on a pilot project to convert fair price shops (FPS) in villages as single-stop rural malls.

The objective is to make FPS economically more viable, provide maximum possible consumers goods under one roof and make rural malls as a bankable scheme, State Civil Supplies&Consumers Affairs Principal Secretary S K Nanda told UNI here.

The scheme has been launched as a pilot project in Padra and Karjan talukas in Vadodara district, as the Government plans to convert 500 FPS into such rural malls by March 31 next year.

There are nearly 15,000 FPS in rural areas in the State.

''In a role reversal of sorts as rural-buyers-urban-sellers, the rural poor need not spend time and incur additional expenses on travelling from villages to towns and back to meet their day-to-day requirements,'' Mr Nanda said.

Besides selling items listed as 'essential commodities' at a subsidised rate, the plan is to sell what is known in business term as fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) like grocery items, confectionery and cosmetics, besides postages, cooking gas and SIM cards.

The Government will also ensure that rural malls sell nourishing foods like edible oil fortified with Vitamin-A, iodised salt and protein-rich pulses. These mini-malls can also sell agro-products like fertilizers and pesticides.

Mr Nanda said rural malls are also planned to be a convergence of information technology and communication (ITC) in villages, providing postal and telecom services. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), Hutch and Tata have shown interest in the scheme. For this end to meet, each FPS of ideally 400 sq ft area will undergo physical makeover too, with modern interior decoration and swanky display boards, the little additional cost could be borne by branded producers, he said and added that each rural mall would maintain computer records.

The idea was first mooted at the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeting on December 12 last year. Dena Bank, being the convener of SLBC, offered all possible assistance to make the scheme a success.

At the SLBC's subsequent meeting last month, Dena Bank's Chairman and Managing Director P L Gairola reiterated his bank's commitment. The bank has already extended financial assistance to FPS owners to set up rural malls at their existing premises.

Rural womenfolk being the biggest beneficiary of the scheme, Mr Nanda foresees a closer link between FPS and self-help groups (SHGs). A bulk of 61,000-odd SHGs in Gujarat comprise women and are also being run by them.

Both the schemes need a token support from the banks and financial institutions, he added.

UNI