Congress-run 'State Bank of Tomato' now active in Lucknow

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Aug. 02 (ANI): With the crazy price hike for tomatoes in the country at the moment, which has resulted in several thefts, the Congress in Lucknow has come up with a novel idea to help locals and farmers protect their precious vegetable: A tomato bank! Amid the protest launched against Central Government over the recent hike in tomato prices, the Congress has opened one-of-its-own-kind 'State Bank of Tomato'. The bank lets its customers enjoy all the basic banking facilities, the only difference being, everything is related to tomatoes. Customers of the bank can get Fixed Deposit (FD) on tomatoes, lockers as well as facility of loans on the same. A long queue of customers was seen outside the bank here, while people saying that due to the fear of tomatoes getting stolen from their houses, they have brought their tomatoes to deposit in the bank. A 103-year-old man was also a part of the queue, who said that he had never thought he would have come to a bank to deposit tomatoes. "I have deposited 500 grams of tomatoes and will get back one kilogram back after six months," he said. The Congress members, managing the bank, said they are getting great response and if it continues, they will have to more branches of the bank. Not just this, with tomato prices skyrocketing, it has become important in the whole sale vegetable market of Madhya Pradesh's Indore city, to guard the pricey vegetable. It has been reported that in the wake of soaring tomato prices, cases of theft in the vegetable market of Indore have cropped up and has created tension amongst the sellers. The sellers now to safe guard the expensive vegetable, have deployed security guards to safeguard tomatoes. However, it is not only Indore, as similar incidents of tomatoes being stolen have been reported from other parts of the nation as well. Approximately 300 kilograms of tomatoes were stolen from the vegetable market in Mumbai's Dahisar earlier this week on July 20. The tomatoes were worth Rs 70,000. Reportedly, the police have registered a case in the regard and are investigating the matter. Since past few weeks, the prices of tomatoes have tremendously increased owing to crop damage in producing states. The government has asserted that it is keeping a close watch on price movements. Tomatoes, in various parts of the nation, are still being sold at Rs 100-120 per kilogram. However, improved production is supposed to bring down tomato prices from mid-August and September. (ANI)