Question : NEW CATERING POLICY

(a) whether the Railways have formulated a new catering policy;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the number of new agencies to which catering contracts have been awarded during the last three years, year-wise, together with the terms of the contracts and the procedure to be followed in this regard;

(d) the number of new catering stalls allotted during the last three years and the train numbers in which they are excepted to be provided, zone-wise; and

(e) the steps taken to keep the prices of food items reasonable?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS(SHRI R. VELU)

(a) & (b): Railways’ catering policy was last revised in December 2005. Thereafter, no new catering policy has been issued.

(c) & (d): Information is being obtained from Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Zonal Railways and will be laid on the Table of the Sabha.

(e): Prices of standard meals, tea/coffee and breakfast are fixed by Railway Board taking into account the cost of raw materials, fuel, staff cost, packaging etc. Menu and tariff of a-la- carte food items are decided by IRCTC and Zonal Railways in a similar fashion. These prices are considered reasonable. Regular watch is kept to ensure that the catering licensees do not overcharge the passengers while selling standard and a-la-carte food items at stations and on trains. Action is taken against licensees overcharging railway passengers.