The Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar seeking his personal intervention to immediately start an Air-Conditioned Train from Punjab to other market destinations across the country so that the farmers from state could market their produce in a better manner. In a communiqué to Pawar, the Chief Minister apprised him that GoI under the National Horticulture Mission had already started an Air-conditioned train for ferrying fruits and vegetables from Surat to Agra via New Delhi. The train has been conceived with the aim to increase the shelf life of the fruits, which shortens if transported by road since the latter involves a longer journey time. Studies also revealed that 30% of such goods perished if transported by goods train. The Chief Minister also mentioned that Punjab has also persified its agriculture outputs and today the state, in addition to food grains was also producing vegetables and fruits in large quantities. Lacs of storage facilities have however shortened the shelf life of this produce.