Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has launched Namo Yuva Rojgar Kendra, a farmers’ market on wheels, which aims at delivering farm-fresh organic produce at reasonable prices.
A total of 125 farm-to-home delivery vans will tour the city to sell the produce. So far, 10 vehicles with fresh farm produce have been rolled out in the city.
The remaining 115 vehicles to be launched within a month. The vegetables sold in the mobile vans will be priced 25% lower than the average market rate.
The initiative aims to generate jobs for uneducated youth and women.
Officials said 125 Tata and Mahindra vehicles were being equipped to carry 1 tonne of vegetables and fruits.
The State government plans to launch 500 such vehicles all over Maharashtra.
Information about the timings of farmers’ market on wheels service, assortment of farm produce and their prices would be made available through a specially-designed app, athavdibazar, which will be available on Google Play Store.
Farmers never got a good price for their produce as there was no direct contact between farmers and consumers.
Namo Yuva Rojgar Kendra is the brainchild of Prasad Lad, president of Mi Mumbai Abhiyan-Abhiman and Shri Swami Samarth Shetkari Utpadak.
Mr. Lad said the initiative will be different from the now defunct Maharashtra Agro and Fruit Processing Corporation (MAFCO).
The drive will involve farmers directly and not through the market committees. Farmers no longer will have to share their profit with middlemen.
The Chief Minister said farmers needed more space to store vegetables and fruits.
MAFCO and Namo Yuva Rojgar Yojana: Know More- The now defunct MAFCO will be revived. The Mi Mumbai Abhiyan - Abhiman and MAFCO are likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding.
- MAFCO already has the infrastructure that is needed. This partnership will create jobs and bring benefits for farmers and consumers.
- Backed by the State government, the Namo Yuva Rojgar Kendra aims to provide job opportunities to unemployed youth in Mumbai.
- Under the programme, various schemes will be initiated, including farmers’ weekly market, farmers’ mobile market and mother’s tiffin service.
