Farmers getting nationwide access to market as Kisan Rails carry 2.7 lakh tonnes of consignment

Indian Railways, with its pan-India network, forms an integral part of the government plan to raise incomes in the farm sector by encouraging transportation by rail. The introduction of Kisan Rails has given farmers wide access to Indian markets. Kisan Rail has so far carried 2.7 lakh tonnes of consignment. Till now, 60 routes have been operationalised.

Railways have been relentlessly pursuing with various stakeholders – including the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, state governments (including departments of agriculture/ horticulture/ fisheries, etc), and local bodies and agencies, Mandis etc – to plan the rollout of Kisan Rail services.

Salient features of Kisan Rail:

• Enables movement of perishables including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fishery and dairy products from the production or surplus regions to consumption or deficient regions;
• The speedy movement ensures minimum damage during transit;
• Enables farmers to utilize the vast railway network to gain access to distant, bigger and more lucrative markets;
• 50 per cent subsidy is given in freight (being borne by Ministry of Food Processing Industries under ‘Operation Greens – TOP to Total’ scheme) for transportation of fruits and vegetables;
• Based on the concept of multi-commodity, multi consignor, multi consignee, multi stoppages, time-tabled trains – to help small farmers with lesser produce also to transport their consignment without any middleman;
• No minimum limit on the quantity that can be booked, enabling even small and marginal farmers to reach bigger and distant markets;
• End-consumers (at bigger cities and consumption centres) get fresher produce at cheaper prices, due to reduction in transportation time as well as costs.

In compliance with the announcement made in Union Budget 2020-21, Kisan Rail trains have been introduced by Indian Railways – to move perishables and farm-produce (including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fishery and dairy products) from production or surplus regions to consumption or deficient regions.

The first train under the Kisan Rail scheme – between Devlali (Mah) and Danapur (Bihar) – was flagged off by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal and the Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar on 07.08.2020. This train has subsequently been extended to run between Sangola (Mah) and Muzaffarpur (Bihar).

The 100th trip under the Kisan Rail scheme – between Sangola (Mah) and Shalimar (WB) – was flagged off by the Prime Minister on 28th December 2020.