Railways red flags Kisan Rail subsidy- excelled year’s quota in August

The Railways raised a red flag over the burgeoning operational costs of its Kisan Rail service with the subsidy it provides farmers for transportation of their produce at hall-rate exceeding the maximum of Rs 50 crore which was scheduled to get this fiscal under the initiative from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

The Railways has told to MoFPI that the amount required to cover the relief this year would be almost three-fold the money sanctioned, records reviewed by The Indian Express show. Railway Board Chairman Suneet Sharma wrote a letter to Subrahmanyam in august, Considering the huge popularity of this scheme and Railways’ plans to introduce Kisan Rail in newer regions, it may please be considered that discontinuation of subsidy under Operation Greens TOP to Total will lead to dissatisfaction among the farming community. It is, therefore, requested that the Ministry of Food Processing Industries may please increase the ceiling to at least Rs 150 crores for the year 2021-22.