Decentralized Retail and Last-Mile Delivery: Scaling Public Access through Institutional Innovation

This paper examines how decentralized retail and last-mile delivery can transform public service delivery in developing economies, using the Punjab Sahulat Bazaars Authority (PSBA) as a case study. As a statutory institution in Pakistan, PSBA demonstrates how legislative empowerment, strategic leadership, and operational innovation enable scalable, subsidy-free access to essential goods. Employing a qualitative documentary and data-driven approach, the study evaluates PSBA’s legal framework, revenue model, logistics infrastructure, and market impact. Key initiatives include 105 tehsil-level bazaars, over 85,000 home deliveries, mobile bazaars, GPS-enabled digital logistics, solar-powered markets, and women-inclusive vendor policies. These interventions support 21,000 direct jobs and 126,000 dependents while delivering price relief of up to 35% below market rates. The findings position PSBA as a replicable, citizen-focused, and technologically integrated governance model with broad relevance for public sector innovation in emerging economies.