Kendriya Bhandar, a co-operative enterprise, was set up mainly for the welfare and benefit of Central Government employees in 1963. The objective of this project was to ensure the availability of daily groceries at competitive prices through its retail outlets, primarily located in Government residential colonies. In 1981, it started supplying stationery and other office equipment to Government offices. While the new stationery business provided blood-transfusion in 1981, the society continued to post losses / insignificant profits in its business over the years and necessitated an urgent critical appraisal of its strategy and operation in 1985.