Giri Bazar brings quality essentials to tribal doorsteps

Parvathipuram: In a bid to ensure access to quality essential commodities for tribal communities, the Parvathipuram district administration has launched an innovative initiative, Giri Bazar, a mobile market delivering branded goods directly to remote villages.

Many tribal residents in the district rely on weekly markets (shandies) for their daily needs, where they often fall victim to unscrupulous traders selling adulterated or counterfeit products. Due to low awareness and lack of education, tribals struggle to distinguish between genuine and fake items, compromising their health and finances.

Recognising this challenge, the administration identified 104 inaccessible villages dependent solely on such markets. To bridge the gap, officials devised a plan to supply quality, branded products at their doorstep through a specially designed vehicle equipped with storage racks. The initiative was officially launched on March 15 by minister for women and child welfare and tribal welfare Gummidi Sandhya Rani. The mobile market visits 20-25 villages daily, ensuring all targeted areas are covered within a month.

District collector A Shyam Prasad pointed to the health risks posed by adulterated goods and urged tribals to avoid purchasing substandard products in local markets. “Through Giri Bazar, we aim to provide safe, branded essentials while protecting tribal welfare,” he said.