14 more mobile rythu bazars

HYDERABAD: 14 mobile rythu bazars will now be able to sell vegetables at colonies in the city where Rythu bazars are not present or far away.“We have given permission to mobile Rythu bazars (MRBs) to sell vegetables at colonies where rythu bazars are not available,” said PS Pradyumna, chief executive officer of rythu bazars. This would help some farmers become self-employed and residents can also buy fresh vegetables, he added.K Komaraiah, a small farmer and vegetable-seller from the Rangareddy district said, “I run my mobile bazar in KPHB colonies and make business of about `5,000 every day. I have two other partners and two workers in this business.” Komaraiah hires a mini lorry with driver for carrying out the sale of vegetables. “At the end of the day, I share the day’s collection with my partners and workers. I earn around `900 everyday,” he added.The MRB scheme was started in 2002 with four vehicles in Hyderabad but they did not become very successful and were abandoned. Now, as the population has increased significantly, a need to have more rythu Bazars or MRBs is being felt acutely. “A better strategy is to give permission to MRBs as there is not much space in city to set up new rythu Bazars,” Pradyumna said. He added that if a group of three to four farmers come forward and apply for a mobile rythu bazar, the government would give permission. “Tough norms will be followed from selection of vehicles to selling of vegetables,” he said.“The vehicles will be a boon to places where there are no rythu bazars. It is a mutually beneficial for small farmers and colony residents,” said Erragadda rythu bazar estate officer C Vijay Kumar. He added there are allegations that the MRBs were charging `2 than rythu bazars but most people were happy to buy  fresh vegetables near their houses. In some areas like RK Puram, Kukatpally, Mehdipatnam, MRBs are already present but there is a need for MRBs in areas like Ramanathapur, Vidyanagar, Nizampet, Basheerbagh,  Himayathnagar, MLA Quarters, Nallakunta, Banjara Hills and Secunderabad. “So far, we have got about 15 applications for new MRBs. We will check more applications and give permissions according to the requirements,” said Pradyumna.