Top retailers spruce up their back end operations, result-ing in a cut in supply chain, transport costs and inventory requirements by half. Future Group has built eight such distribution centres in key locations including Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Other retailers such as Aditya Birla, Spencers’, Tata’s Star Bazar are also trimming their logistics and storage side of busi-ness to cut costs.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, has approved a proposal to abolish the levy sugar mechanism under which private millers have to sell a specified quantity of sugar to the gov-ernment at concessional rates. The states will now pur-chase sugar from open market through transparent bid-ding process and sell it cheap through ration shops.
The Delhi Milk Scheme (DMS) is making a surprise turna-round for 2012-13, showing a working surplus for the first time in many years. It is expected to record an operational surplus of Rs. 8-9 crore in 2012-13.
Economist Mr. Pranab Bardhan says despite tremendous achievement in land reforms in West Bengal, due to inher-itance driven fragmentation, the average land holding becomes smaller and smaller and ultimately is sold off by the owner. With half of rural population now landless, and the proportion to keep rising, govt. must play the role of a catalyst and facilitate a shift from agriculture.