- The first train has been loaded from Nagarsol in Nanded Division to Guwahati
- 50% Tariff Concession granted for transporting through Railways
South Central Railway has taken another significant step in its continuous endeavour to assist the farm sector in marketing its agricultural produce for better price realisation. In this regard, today, SCR starts its first Kisan rail from Maharashtra. The initial rake loaded with onions will start from Nagarsol in Nanded Division to Guwahati. Incidentally, this is also the first Kisan Rail from the Nanded Division.
The Govt. of India has started the concept of running Kisan Rails for boosting the income of the farm sector, while providing a hassle-free, safe & fast transport services for the marketing of the Agriculture sector. To further encourage the farmers, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries announced extension of 50% tariff concession on the transportation of notified fruits and vegetables through Kisan Rail trains, under “Operation Greens - TOP to Total”. Accordingly, SCR’s first Kisan rail from Maharashtra was also given 50% tariff concession for transporting onions under this program.
Previously, onions loading used to happen occasionally from Nagarsol station through Goods trains. However, to transport this commodity by Goods trains, the farmers/traders had to procure the commodity in huge quantities so as to be able to meet full train load capacity. This combined with the logistics involved in stocking huge quantities and posed a tedious challenge for the freight customers.
To overcome these, the freight Team of the Nanded Division conducted regular meetings with the farmers/trading community making them aware of the ease benefits of loading their produce by Kisan rails in terms of relatively less requirement of quantity to start a train, tariff advantages, hassle-free and fast transportation among others. All of these continuous marketing efforts have led to the starting of first Kisan Rail, with the farmers/traders showing interest of loading more number of trains through this facility.
The first Kisan Rail of Nanded Division has been scheduled to leave Nagarsol station at 17.30 hrs of today i.e., 5th January, 2021 with 22 Parcel vans each with capacity of 23 tonnes. The train will reach New Guwahati Goods complex at 21.00 hrs of 7th January, 2021 with a load of around 522 tonnes of onions covering the distance of 2500 Kms in a short span of 50 hours.
Shri Gajanan Mallya, General Manager, South Central Railway has expressed his happiness on the efforts of Nanded Division Officials which helped in operation of Kisan Rail successfully from Nagarsol station. He also appealed to the farmers and traders to utilise this opportunity of Kisan Rail specials for availing special concessions and facilities being offered by Railways, so that it will increase their scope of business, while enhancing the freight traffic of the Zone.
