IRCTC to promote Kashmiri dry fruits through self-help-groups

The health nourishing walnut and other dry fruits from Jammu and Kashmir will soon be available at Katra and Jammu railway stations, with IRCTC promoting the sale of these products for the benefit of local self-help- groups (SHGs).
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will create markets for the Kashmiri products by setting up units at Katra in Jammu, which would enable the SHGs in the state to sell their products from these centres.
The dry fruits will be also made available through IRCTC's e-commerce site, e-catering and the 'Jan Aahar' facilities at the railway stations.
"To begin with, IRCTC has proposed to set up sales outlets at Katra. The dry fruits will be sold through existing as well as upcoming IRCTC units in Katra," said IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director AK Manocha.

"The outlets are designed to help the self-help-groups and these would be selling walnut and some other dry fruits at a reasonable rate," Manocha added.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, while inaugurating new passenger trains in Kashmir Valley some months ago, had called for creating an e-market through IRCTC where items from Kashmir, including cuisine and handicrafts, would be sold to popularise the state on the rail tourism map through e-commerce.
"We are adequately equipped with all the e-commerce facilities to promote the sale of Kashmiri dry fruits and other famous products of the state," he had said.