The Kozhikode Municipal Corporation is making renewed attempts to revive the e-shop project that has met with many a stumbling block. The Corporation Council on Tuesday passed a list of 15 more e-shops in the city, besides deciding to shift the positions of some of the e-shops that are already established.
Ever since the first e-shop was opened near 2{+n}{+d}Railway Gate in May 2014, there have been complaints about these modern bunks that sold food products. The 16 bunks were opened at places where the Corporation already had e-toilets, in order to share the power connection.
However, the products sold at the e-shops came under the scanner after the beneficiaries, all Kudumbasree members, complained that they were being forced to sell products of multinational companies besides those of Kudumbasree units and local brands.
The positioning of the e-shops too was a problem, as many beneficiaries found that they did not get enough business at some locations. The ownership of the e-shops too has been a problem for some time.
Closed down
However, the Corporation clarified that they belonged to the Corporation. Except for four e-shops in Oyitty Road, Stadium Junction, Medical College and Mananchira, the bunks closed down as soon as the beneficiaries found that they did not make enough profit. In the recent move, the Welfare Standing Committee of the Corporation, in charge of Kudumbasree and its projects, decided to allow some bunks to be shifted to more profitable locations. “There is no point in keeping the bunks at their original positions if the women did not benefit from them. After all the purpose of the project is poverty alleviation”, said Councillor Anita Krishnanunni, a member of the Welfare Standing Committee.
Apart from the change in position, the e-shops have been permitted to sell products of their choice, including Neera, she added.
The 15 new e-shops are the ones which had been deserted by the earlier beneficiaries. The Corporation’s Kudumbasree CDSs have been nominating people to take over the bunks, four of which already have proper site plan. The rest will be finalised in the coming days, Ms.Anita said.
However, the bunks may face the problem of power supply in the new edition as well, since all of them are not near e-toilets.
As many e-toilets are dysfunctional, the bunks near them may still have the problem. “We plan to address the issue as it comes,” Ms.Anita said.
