Girijan Cooperative Corporation sets up petrol bunks in Bhadradri district

Kothagudem: In a bid to improve income and provide employment to the tribal community, the Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) entered into petrol bunks business and with the support of Tribal Welfare Commissioner and district administration, the GCC is setting up petrol bunks in agency areas and providing jobs to tribal youth.

Before State bifurcation, Girijan Cooperative Corporation was earning huge profits through purchasing forest produce from tribal community in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. Forest produce worth crores of rupees from these areas were exported to other countries and to several areas in the country also.

Bhadrachalam, Yellandu, Palvoncha and Manugur agency divisions have huge forest area and most of the forest produces are available in Bhadrachalam agency area only.

Seven mandals - Kunavaram, Chintur, VR Puram, Bhadrachalam (except town), Kukunur, Velerupad and Burgampahad (except mandal headquarters) were merged in Andhra Pradesh State from Telangana for Polavaram project. This has greatly affected the GCC business and its income. At a time, the GCC even do not have enough to pay salaries and to run the organisation. Christina Z Chongthu, after taking charge as Tribal Welfare Commissioner, motivated the GCC officials and employees and encouraged them to do take up businesses. Taking inspiration and support from the Commissioner, the GCC planned and entered petrol bunk business.

They already opened two petrol bunks in Gundala and Mulakalapalli mandal headquarters and two more are ready for inauguration at Annapureddypalle and Dammapet mandal headquarters. The GCC officials proposed eight more petrol bunks at Manugur, Janampet, Vinayakapuram, Palvoncha, Bhadrachalam, Yellandu, Julurpad and Chinabandirevu.

GCC District Divisional Manager Kunja Vani said all the proposed petrol bunks will be started soon after getting all permissions. Petrol bunk business is good and expected profits, but there was a slight fall in business due to Covid-19, otherwise it is good, she added.

Kunja Vani said that they have been providing employment to local tribal youth and paying a salary of Rs 6,000 to each salesman. About 10 tribal youth would get employment in each petrol bunk. One GCC employee would be allotted to each petrol bunk for maintenance. "We have many other plans to enter in business and chalking out possibilities," she added.