Retail Sector is the fastest growing sector in terms of employment generation and it occupied second place after Agriculture in terms of number of people employed. It is providing employment opportunity directly to 40 million people and indirectly creating many employment opportunities. India has the highest number of retail outlets in the world. Retail Sector is emerging as one of the highest growing sectors in Indian economy.

Indian Retail Sector is vibrant and one of the fastest growing markets in the world with its presence in various sub sectors such as Modern retail (Organized) & Traditional Retail (Unorganized), Retail FMCG (Consumer goods) & FMCD (Consumer durables); E- Commerce/ Online Retail sales, Direct selling & Direct marketing.

Andhra Pradesh is strategically located on the South-Eastern Coast of India and natural gateway to East and South-East Asia. It has huge potential to become one of the leading destinations for retail trade. This is reinforced by its large consumer base, increasing per capita income, rapid urbanization and abundance of raw material.

Keeping this in view, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has brought “Andhra Pradesh Retail Trade Policy 2015-2020” in the year 2016, which aims to catalyze growth, provides thrust to the development of the Retail Sector in Andhra Pradesh and instituted skill development program for youth focusing on rural and tribal youth with a target to train one lakh youth over a period of five years.

Based on the Andhra Pradesh Retail Trade Policy, SEEDAP designed Retail Training Program (SRTP) and established 18 skilling centers in the premises of District Training & Development centers across the State. These training centers imparted skills to 17,000 rural youth in retail sector till now.