MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

PAN BIDI SHOPS

These shops exist almost all over the district and are variously known as panachi gadi or pan pattiche dukan, or simply panache dukan.

These shops are of two types; shops in the first category sell only prepared panpattis, bidis, cigarettes, match-boxes and some other important essential articles of daily use such as soap, tobacco, agarbatti, tooth paste, powder and few patent medicines like Anacin, Aspro, Codopyrin etc. The other type of shops sell loose betel-leaves, betel-nuts, tobacco and other items of daily use as aforesaid.

These shops are usually situated by the side of hotels and restaurants, cinema houses, railway and bus stations, bazar places and at all important corners of streets. Many of them are merely extensions of hotels and restaurants while others carry on business independently.

The average capital investment in this occupation ranges between Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,200. Shops with capital investment above Rs. 1,000 are located on the main road and opposite railway station of the Wardha city and Pulgaon. These establishments are generally run single handed. Almost all of the shops are housed in rented premises, in many cases on raised platforms the average rent paid being Rs. 20. The average monthly gross income of a fairly big shop amounts to Rs. 1,800 whereas the same for small and medium establishments ranges between Rs. 100 and Rs. 1,200 per month. The types of pan preparation generally obtained are masala pan, patti masala, pan with tobacco, Banarasi pan, Kapuri pan, etc.

The accessories required for a pan patti shop consist of betel-leaves, betel-nuts, lime, catechu, tobacco and spices. These are locally available or otherwise are purchased from Nagpur.

The tools and equipment comprise nut crackers, scissors and few China jars or small pots of brass or of stainless steel. A big shop sometimes has well decorated wooden show-case with mirrors, a radio set and a tube-light etc.

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