From the farm to the railway station

HYDERABAD: Railway stations across the country would now have outlets selling agricultural produce and these outlets would be on a global tender. These outlets would be set up on the surplus land available at 7,500 stations. A global tender would be given out for managing these outlets, which would sell fresh fruits and vegetables.

Cold storage facilities, processing facilities, and container services would be available and it would act as a distribution service for the farmers. Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav made the announcement at South Central Railway’s Ruby Jubliee celebrations on Saturday. The minister said no nation could progress only on the basis of IT. “We need to focus on agriculture too,” he added.

With farmers’ committing suicides, there is a need to let them profit from their produce and this is the reason for setting up such outlets. The minister also said that he would make arrangements to enable farmers to export their produce through sea. Indian railways are currently in third position globally and he would work towards making it number one, he added.

Mr Yadav unveiled a special logo, with a commemorative postal special cover and flagged off a commemorative heritage steam train, which would run between Secunderabad and Falaknuma.