Space sought on railway platforms for local milk cooperatives

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, April 16, 2012 : The National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India (NCDFI) is negotiating with the Union Railway Ministry to allow local milk cooperatives to set up stalls to sell milk and milk products on railway platforms.

Speaking about the latest developments, NCDFI Director and Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Dairy Federation Chairman Subhash C. Mandge said that the Union Railway Ministry has agreed to provide space for local milk cooperatives on railway platforms and within the next three months, the first milk booths will be set up at the railway station in Patna.

Mr. Mandge had visited DK recently to inspect the DK Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union and the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative Limited.

According to him, attempts are made to set up milk booths on railway platforms to boost market for local milk cooperatives. The NCDFI started working with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation back in 2005 and is now dealing with 16 railway zones.

He said that the matter was discussed in several rounds with Mamatha Banerjee, the then minister for railways, and the Railway Board. The cabinet was reshuffled when the discussion was in its final stages. The NCDFI is exerting pressure on the railway department to allot space for local milk cooperatives as and when the railway platforms are being widened and the railway department has, in its turn, promised to provide space on the widened platforms.

Mr. Mandge said that the stalls will be located on one side of the platform and the products will be taken in trolleys to other platforms. He also assured that milk cooperatives from other states cannot set up stalls on railway platforms in Karnataka, adding that catering units along the platform will purchase milk and curd from local milk cooperatives.