Ahead of Janashirwad Yatra, Union Minister of MSME Narayan Rane on Saturday met Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and urged him to allow coconut plantation on the both sides of the Konkan rail track for generating raw material for the Coir industry and providing a magnificent spectacle to an exquisitely beautiful Konkan rail route which runs through 756 km in Konkan region of Maharashtra.
‘’I request you to kindly allow the rail track side land of the Konkan Railway for coconut plantation in larger public interest. You would agree with me that greater the coconut plantation, better would be the availability of nuts and consequentially, this can spur the Coir industry to bloom in Konkan,’’ said Rane. ‘’The rural economy in Konkan could immensely benefit from the Coir industry, generating significant employment for the rural people,’’ he added.
Further, Rane has called upon Vaishnaw to commence Tourist/Toy train services between Kankwali and Sawantwadi in the interest of promoting tourism in Sindhudurg district. ‘’Keeping in view the huge potential to promote tourism in Sindhudurg district, which is the first Tourism District, a few years ago Konkan Railway had carried out a survey to operate Tourist/Toy train to and fro between Kankwali and Sawantwadi via Devgad, Malvan and Vengurla. The said project is still pending with the Konkan Railway and it has a potential to create a major spin off effect on the economy of the region,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Rane also met the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and urge him to open office of the Coconut Development Board in Sindhudurg district and instruct the authorities to carry out coconut plantation drive in Konkan for enhancing the coconut productivity.
According to Rane, Konkan region has rich potential in coconut development but despite its ideal ecosystem for coconut plantation the availability of plants and consequential production of nuts are sub optimal.
‘’There is an imperative need to augment coconut plantation in Konkan region for development of Coir Industry and also coconut based industries for generating employment for the rural youth.
