Andhra Pradesh

Now SHGs to run dairy parlours

HYDERABAD: Retailing is big business. And chanting this mantra now are scores of Self Help Groups (SHGs) who will soon be running Vijaya Dairy Parlours across the State.

When the Andhra Pradesh Dairy Development Cooperative Federation wanted to leverage the local presence of SHGs to run their kiosks with the brand ‘Swashakti Vijaya Dairy Parlour’ and approached the Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA), it was surprised at the response and the preparedness of the women.

“The response has been good,” says Dairy Executive Director Surya Kumari. If some are awaiting bank loans, others like Ambika Mahila Sangham, member of LB Nagar Town Level SHG Federation are ready with working capital.

The LB Nagar SHG is set to start its parlour by August 15, as it has a room allotted in the municipal complex and AP Dairy has agreed to spruce it up, supply hoardings and install cold chain like refrigerator, bottle cooler. The SHG would pay back equipment cost in instalments.

SHG member Anuradha and two others will invest Rs.25,000 as working capital.

“We could raise this amount out of Rs.1.5 lakh bank loan sanctioned to our 15-member group,” she said.

These parlours stock a variety of products like doodh peda, flavoured milk, ghee, ice-cream etc., besides milk packets .

Franchisees could earn a commission of 3 to 30 per cent on different products, said Surya Kumari.

The way SHGs were running their two parlours in Tirupati including one at the railway station and at Hermitage Complex in city successfully, their number will be scaled up to 1,000 in AP, she said.

These women may not be educated but they have the zeal and skills to run the business.

Anuradha who studied up to 9th standard, says they can run the parlour and do the book keeping on their own. “Success in any business depends on how much effort we put into it. I am on threshold of starting one, thanks to the self help group concept,” adds Anuradha.

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