Farm protests may hit transport of essentials: Railways

The railway ministry on Thursday warned that the three-day rail roko (railway blockade) protest referred to as by farmers in Punjab over farm payments handed by Parliament will have a extreme affect on the transport of foodgrains and different important items to and from the northern state .

Railway authorities mentioned 20 trains passing by Punjab will stay suspended between Thursday and Saturday due to the protest , because the state-owned transporter seeks to make sure the security of passengers and defend its property. Many freight and parcel trains too have been rescheduled.

“Punjab rail agitation will severely impact loading of foodgrains and other essential goods. It will hurt ordinary citizens and fast-recovering rail freight and economy,” a railway ministry spokesperson mentioned.

The Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, looking for to liberalise agricultural commerce, had been cleared by each Houses of Parliament within the curtailed monsoon session that ended Wednesday. Opposition events and farmers teams have alleged that the laws was geared toward selling the pursuits of company entities somewhat than the pursuits of farmers.

The railway ministry mentioned that Punjab loaded 990 rakes of foodgrains procured by the Food Corporation of India in August this 12 months and 816 rakes this month till September 23. Thd FCI is loading greater than 35 rakes of foodgrains day by day from Punjab. Punjab additionally hundreds 9-10 rakes day by day of fertilizer, cement, cars and blended items in containers.

“Punjab receives around 20 rakes daily of coal, food grain, farm products, machinery, petroleum products, imported fertilizer etc,” the ministry mentioned.

The name for rail roko protest has been referred to as by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee with the backing of various farmers teams.