Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu Saturday said more products indigenous to the Konkan region should be used along the Konkan Railway (KR) route, pushing for the use of 'kokum', a sour tropical fruit commonly used in local curries and sherbets.
Prabhu was speaking at a function organised by KR at the Karmali railway station, a short distance from Panaji.
"Start Konkani products in Konkan Railway. Kokum is one of the products. I have always been saying that Konkan Railway sells Coke. I have no problem with that. But why shouldn't Coke compete with kokum. Let people decide what is the best thing to have," Prabhu said.
Scientifically known as Garcinia Indica, kokum is grown in the Konkan region, and is used as a staple in the state's cuisine as well as seasonal cooling drinks and is known for several medicinal benefits.
The Konkan Railway stretches across four south western states namely Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala.
Prabhu also said that products sold by local self-help groups run by women should also be incorporated in the bouquet of offerings on the Konkan Railway station premises, so that the local community benefits from the railway infrastructure.
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"There are a lot of self-help groups who have created employment for a large number of women and particularly for poor women. We should have some sort of facility to sell their products in KR facilities," Prabhu said.
Prabhu, who has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana, has been a former member of parliament elected from the Konkan region.