In what will undoubtedly help tens of thousands of farmers to get good price for their produce, India’s first `Kisan Rail’ has set off from Andhra Pradesh to New Delhi. It’s carrying over 330 tonnes of vegetables and fruits for the markets of North India.
The Kisan Rail was announced in February this year, during her budget speech by the Union Finance Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman. It’s hoped the train would help the farmers double their annual income.
Starting its journey from Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh on September 9, the train was flagged off by the Union Agriculture Minister Mr Narendra Singh Tomar and the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Mr Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The Highlights of the `Kisan Rail’ are:
• The newly introduced train starts from Anantapur Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh and reaches Adarsh Nagar Station, New Delhi.
• The train has 14 parcel vans – four vans load meant for Nagpur and another 10 Vans for Adarsh Nagar – totalling 332 tonnes.
•The inaugural Kisan Rail loaded with tomatos, bananas, sweet orange, papaya, muskmelons and mangoes.
• The train provides fast transport connectivity between Anantapur to New Delhi with the distance of 2,150 Km being covered in approximately 40 hours.
Union Agriculture Minister Mr Tomar said that “It is an incredible day for farmers,’’. It is also hoped that the train will be instrumental in ensuring best prices for the farmers.
Anantapur is fast becoming the `fruit bowl’ of Andhra Pradesh. More than 80% of the 58 lakh metric tonnes of fruits & vegetables grown in the district is marketed out of the Andhra Predesh, particularly to the north Indian states of Delhi, UP, Punjab and Haryana.
Earlier these vegetables and fruits were being transported by roadways, which was not only time consuming but also led to reduction in price realisation of the farmers due to damages while in transit.
Transportation by the `Kisan Rail’, on the other hand, should hopefully provides a safe, reliable and fast way to reach these perishable goods from one place to another.
