Local SHGs to supply food to Indian Railway passengers, pilot project at Sawantwadi Road station
The pilot project kicks off on Saturday at Sawantwadi Road Station of the Konkan Railway in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra.
To start with, IRCTC, in association with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), will support the SHGs - formed by Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM ) and Lupin Human Welfare Research Foundation -- in the Konkan region to serve train passengers through IRCTC's e-catering service, popularly known as “Food on Track”.
According to a release by the Rail Ministry, the partnership with NABARD to provide support, and access to the IRCTC website would ensure extensive e- marketing for products produced by the SHGs, would lead to increase in rural incomes.
The local cuisines produced by SHGs will be in addition to the other food choices made available on e-catering system by popular food aggregators like Dominos, Haldiram, KFC and Sarvana Bhavan.
IRCTC is also planning to collaborate with NABARD for setting up a similar project for involving SHGs in e-catering in Barabanki (Uttar Pradesh). The project is slated to become functional in January 2017.
Ministry of Women & Child Development and NABARD have also agreed to work with IRCTC with a view to facilitate installation and operation of Water Vending Machines (WVMs) with the help of Self Help Groups over various D, E & F category railway stations, the release said.
Image: Konkan Railway website
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