The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Indiramma boosts sale of tools

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Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Indiramma boosts sale of tools

S. Harpal Singh

Sales increase 20 to 30 times since January; prices too go up

There is shortage of tools, even in Hyderabad
Rate of iron has also gone up: wholesale dealer

ADILABAD: Hardware shops that specialise in excavation tools and implements like crowbars, spades and pickaxes are registering soaring sales, in Adilabad district, thanks to the Indiramma housing scheme.

Sales of these items have gone up by an estimated 20 to 30 times the normal because of the urgency created by the two lakh houses planned under the scheme.A retailer at Indervelli mandal headquarters claims to have sold over 600 crowbars, 300 spades and 200 pickaxes since January. Normally, he sells about 20 to 30 crowbars, 10 to 15 spades and so on. A hardware wholesale dealer in Adilabad town agrees with the Indervelli retailer.

He says his sales too have registered a 20 to 30 time increase in these products, apparently due to the large number of houses under construction in every village.

Indervelli market has a catchment of about 50 to 60 surrounding villages while the catchment area of Adilabad town comprises several mandals.

The number of houses being constructed in each village is considered to be quite higher than the normal activity and hence the sales.

The wholesale dealer, who purchases the tools and implements in bulk from Hyderabad, says there is a general shortage of the excavation tools even in Hyderabad. As is the wont of any business, the prices of the digging tools have also shot up by a few rupees.

A crowbar that cost about Rs. 175 to Rs. 200 now costs between Rs. 200 and Rs. 250 depending on the size and diametre of the iron.

Similarly, prices of pickaxes have risen from Rs. 80 to Rs. 100 and those of the spades have gone up from an average of Rs. 45 to an average of Rs. 55.“It is not just because of the demand created by Indiramma houses. It is also because of the rate of iron going up in the past few weeks,” points out the wholesale dealer.

Workers engaged

Each of the low cost houses has about five workers engaged in construction who need at least one tool or implement each. This perhaps gives an idea of the kind of demand that is being generated by the housing scheme.

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