Srinagar: In a bid to showcase local products and create employment opportunities for youth, the Indian Railways here have installed stalls across all 17 stations on the 135 km railway line from Banihal-Baramulla, officials said.
A railway official said that the stalls promoting local products under “One station One product” are selling food items, which are unique to the area around the railway stations.
He said the stalls are functional in all the 17 railway stations including Banihal, Hillar Shahabad, Qazigund, Sadoora, Anantnag, Bijbahara, Panzgam, Awantipora, Kakapura, Pampore, Srinagar, Budgam, Mazhama, Pattan, Hamare, Sopore and Baramulla.
He said they have taken this initiative to create additional employment opportunities for underprivileged sections of the society. “The objectives of the scheme are to promote local products and provide an opportunity for youth to earn their livelihood,” he said.
Under this scheme, the Railways provides infrastructure in the form of outlets and stalls to youth for selling food products, he added.
Pawan Sharma, a passenger from Mumbai said the stalls are very useful near the stations. “Sometimes people miss the train when they go outside to buy the food stuff. Now, people can buy food items easily in the premises of the Railway station,” he said.
Chief Area Manager (CAM), Northern Railways, Kashmir, Saqib Yousuf said the steps have been taken under Pan India scheme. “The scheme will create employment for people and is meant for easy access to the passengers, who can buy the products inside the railway station now,” he said.
He said though this platform, people can showcases the local products of the region—(KNO)