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Railways Raises Freight Rates By 8.75% For Key Commodities
Haulage charges of containers increased by 5%; freight rates of other small goods increased by 8.75%.
31 Oct 2018, 10:58 PM IST 
A miner manually culls rocks and stones from coal in Cucunuba, Cundinamarca Department, Colombia. (Photographer: Nicolo Filippo Rosso/Bloomberg)
Indian Railways has effected a 8.75-percent increase in freight rates for key commodities such as coal, steel, iron ore, and raw materials for steel plants, according to an official statement on Wednesday.
“The decision to rationalise freight rates will result in additional revenue generation for Indian Railways to the tune of Rs 3,344 crore. The additional revenue will further help enhance various aspects of Railways including safety, service, punctuality,” the statement said.
The freight rates for food grains, flours, pulses, fertilisers, salt and sugar have not been increased, keeping in mind farmers and the common man. Freight rates for cement and petroleum products, including diesel, have also not been increased.
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