Grameen Samrudhi Stores is a supermarket chain belonging to Grameen Samrudhi Charitable Society, an offshoot of Sahkat Bharathi, an RSS-inspired co-operative moment spread throughout the country. It is managed by Bharat Agro Processing & Marketing Co-operative Ltd. There are about 35 supermarkets in Kerala. Few more will be added to the family by the end of November, 2020. The conglomerate employs about 200 persons. Its turn over during the financial year of 2019-20 is about Rs 12 cr. The price of the commodities is about 2 to 3 % less; they are in most cases less than MRP. The commodities are procured through Akshyashree Self Help Groups (SHG). Every Akshaya Shree group consists of about 50 persons who join the group by contributing Rs 1,000 to Rs, 50,000. The profit is shared among the members.
During COVID-19 period, the group distributed interest-free financial aid among the members. Thus Rs 79 lakhs were distributed as loans. During the past financial year the profit of Rs 24 lakhs was distributed among the members. Each one got Rs 3,000 to 5,000. During the COVID period Samrudhi Stores distributed grain kits, sans any profit, for 20,000 families. SHG members get time-to-time training to develop their activities.
During the period of anti-CAA agitations, the leaders of Sahkar Bharati and Grameen Samrudhi Stores realised that the spread of such stores was of paramount significance because, shops and super markets run by anti-CAA elements remained closed in some “religious” pockets and Hindu and nationalist people were targeted for supporting the Act. Even the artificial scarcity of essential commodities was created. The matter turned serious as most of them are members of the powerful organisation for shops and stores. Now, they are sure, when more such stores come up throughout the state politically motivated and unnecessary agitations of the owners of the shops will not impact the common lives.
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