Second `Kisan Rail’ connects Andhra’s Anantapur with Delhi
14 Sep 2020
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Indian Railways on Wednesday announced the start of a second `Kisan Rail’, a dedicated freight train for agricultural produce, that will run between Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh and New Delhi.
Union minister of agriculture and farmer welfare, rural development and panchayati raj, Narendra Singh Tomar, and Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy jointly flagged off the inaugural run of the new Kisan Rail through video link at a programme presided over by minister of state for railways Suresh C Angadi.
The Kisan train will run between Anantapur in Guntakal Division of South Central Railway and Adarsh Nagar in Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, Narendra Singh Tomar said the Kisan Rail will help in strengthening the agricultural economy, while Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the state’s popular fruits will now be able to reach other areas in the country easily.
Tomar said the Kisan Rail is part of the Narendra Modi government’s efforts towards strengthening the agricultural economy and doubling farmers’ income, which are now beginning to bear fruit.
Kisan Rail and Kisan Udaan had been announced in this year’s budget so that farm produce is able to be transported all over the country in less time. On 7 August the first Kisan Rail was flagged off between Devlali in Maharashtra and Danapur in Bihar as a weekly service, which was later made bi-weekly due to increasing demand. Now the second Kisan Rail will benefit farmers of the states coming en route. The minister appreciated initiatives like the implementation of the new agriculture ordinances and the Rs1 lakh crore Agri Infrastructure Fund in Andhra Pradesh. He said that in Anantapur fruits and vegetables are being grown in more than 2 lakh ha area, and the Kisan Rail will prove very beneficial to farmers of this region. Kisan Udaan service will also be started soon, he added.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said horticulture is an important activity in the state. AP ranks first in the country in the production of tomatoes, coconut, papaya and chillies and is the biggest fruit producing state in South India. During the Covid situation, transportation of this horticultural produce to North India had become difficult. A number of special trains were run from Anantapur to Mumbai during the lockdown so that the horticultural produce could reach other parts of the country.
Minister of state for railways Suresh Angadi said that Kisan Rail is being started to help in the speedy transportation of farm produce to distant places, in keeping with the goal of doubling farmers’ income. Farmers can now sell their produce wherever they get better price without spoilage due to reduction in transportation time. This facility will also help in increasing agricultural exports.
Anantapur-Delhi Kisan Rail
- Starts from Anantapur Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh and reaches Adarsh Nagar Station, New Delhi.
- The rake has 14 parcel vans – 4 vans load meant for Nagpur and another 10 vans load for Adarsh Nagar – totalling 332 tonnes.
- The inaugural Kisan Rail loaded with tomato, banana, 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.
- The Railway team at Guntakal (particularly the newly set up Business Development Unit) is facilitated the `Kisan Rail’ launch.
Anantapur is fast becoming the Fruit Bowl of Andhra Pradesh. More than 80 per cent of the 58 lakh tonnes of fruits and vegetables in the district is marketed out of the state, particularly to the north Indian States of Delhi, UP, Punjab and Haryana among others. A major portion of the fruits and vegetables produced in Anantapur are transported out of the state. Earlier this was being transported by roadways. Starting a Kisan Rail will be particularly benefit small farmers and traders in marketing their product across the country in a safe, economical and speedy manner.
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