Nashik: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has recently decided to provide a 50% subsidy on transportation of vegetables and fruits through Kisan Rail trains and all freight trains. MP Hemant Godse had followed up the matter. Farmers from district as well as country will be benefitted by this decision.
MP Hemant Godse had approached Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to inform him about the plight of farmers. He had requested him to include fruits like grapes, apple ber in the list of items being transported at a subsidised rate by the railways.
Nashik is a leading district in agricultural production in the country, and the country’s first ‘Kisan Railway’ launched with the efforts by MP Godse, to facilitate the delivery of agricultural products to markets across the country.
Due to the train, delivery of agricultural products from Nashik and other areas; to any market, in just a few hours, has become possible. Nashik is famous all over the country for its grape production. However, grapes, apple ber, and some vegetables had been exempted from 50 per cent subsidy for transport by agricultural railways.
A special Kisan railway; from Deolali to Danapur, got departed from Deolali railway station on August 7th as per the decision of the Central government. This was for the first time that a special train for agriculture got started in India. This has definitely benefited the farmers. However, farmers were facing some issues over the subsidised rate.
A special fifty per cent subsidy (fare concession) is given to the transport of goods by the railways. However, it does not include grapes, apple ber, and some vegetables. This was creating financial hardships for the farmers in the district.
Therefore, a delegation of farmers had urged MP Godse to get a 50 per cent subsidy from the railways for the transportation of grapes and other vegetables that aren’t included in the list. Godse had immediately contacted Agriculture Minister Tomar in Delhi and had apprised him of the plight of farmers.
As soon as he had realised that the demands of farmers, were just, he had assured them that a positive decision will be taken soon. Thereafter he he held discussions with railway and agriculture administration and has decided to give 50% subsidy on transport cost of vegetables and fruits by railway trains.
