Tata Motors, Renault, Bajaj Auto in talks to make use of IT Min’s final mile supply system

Automobile firms, resembling Tata Motors, Renault and Bajaj Automobiles, are in talks with the federal government to utilize the Common Services Centres’ (CSCs’) final mile supply infrastructure, senior authorities officers advised The Indian Express.
These firms, an official from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) stated, wish to leverage the logistical system developed by Grameen e-stores of the CSC by not less than reserving the orders from rural markets for now.
“In the initial stages, the idea is to start with getting booking from rural areas, so that the buyers don’t have to make multiple trips to the showroom … to check out the vehicle that they want to buy, and then to book it and then to take delivery. We want to cut it down to one trip maybe where the buyer just pays and gets it delivered at home,” an official stated.

ExplainedMay open up a brand new marketThe tie-ups with vehicle firms might open up a brand new marketplace for quick access and supply of non-public autos resembling automobiles and jeeps within the rural areas. While firms will be capable to attain potential consumers at very low prices, the gross sales may also assist CSC hold different prices in examine and use the excess funds to put money into growth.

The CSC, a particular objective car of the IT Ministry, had in April final yr began permitting its village stage entrepreneurs the choice to launch a Grameen e-store. While initially launched for simple supply of important gadgets in villages, gram panchayats and different rural areas, these e-stores quickly expanded their portfolio to begin sale of non-essential gadgets resembling mushy drinks, biscuits, soaps, shampoos, pencils, pens, electrical and digital home equipment.
Of the IT Ministry’s 4 lakh CSCs, about 1.4 lakh have, to this point, obtained permission to begin operations as Grameen e-stores. The intention, officers stated, is to grant permission to all of the 4 lakh CSCs to double up functioning as e-stores.
“So, we already have companies such as Bajaj Electric, Whirlpool, and even Tata Power supplying some solar cells in these areas. Of course, these are beyond the ambit of essential items, but since we have a robust delivery mechanism, why not make use of it. That is where the idea of tie-up with automobile companies also comes in,” one other official stated.
For the mandatory infrastructure to allow a village stage entrepreneur (VLE) to run a Grameen e-store, the CSC has designed 4 apps, one every for the shopper and the VLE within the space, one to trace the individual delivering the merchandise and one business-to-business app to handle the availability of products to the VLEs.
Over the final yr, these e-stores have tied up with a number of main world and Indian fast-paced client items manufacturers resembling PepsiCo, Coca Cola, Nestle, Tata Consumer Products, Shahi Masala, Adhar Foods, and Unibic biscuits.

Despite all of the tie-ups with home and multinational companies, nonetheless, the CSC has careworn that it doesn’t wish to hand over the independence of the smallest unit within the supply infrastructure ecosystem, the village stage entrepreneur. Over the final two months, the IT Ministry had, in session with the CSC, turned down not less than two such gives from world retails giants Walmart and Amazon, stating that the autonomous functioning of those entrepreneurs essential.
Walmart India had approached with the supply someday in February and had mentioned the opportunity of shopping for all of the Grameen e-stores for increasing the attain of its personal shops in addition to augmenting the capability of Flipkart’s last-mile supply. Meanwhile, Amazon had give you a suggestion to assist the Grameen e-stores “scale up all their stores”. Both the gives have been rejected.