Question : Lactation Pods

(a) whether the Ministry has received a request letter from the Women and Child Development Ministry (WCD) to provide private spaces for lactating mothers travelling with their infants in waiting rooms on railway stations and action taken by the Ministry in this regard;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Ministry has taken note of the initiatives taken by the Kerala Start Up Mission (KSUM) to set up state-of-the-art lactation pods at Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station for giving working mothers comfortable, secure and private space for breastfeeding during journeys and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Ministry is willing to encourage other States to institute such appreciative moves and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. Zonal Railways have been advised to provide a segregated area within the waiting hall at important stations for feeding the babies by lactating mothers. This corner is to be provided with a small table and a chair with appropriate partition/screen around it.
(c) & (d): At Thiruvanathapuram Central Railway Station, two Lactation Pods (baby feeding centre) have been set up, out of which, one available at Platform no.2/3 was sponsored by an NGO ‘I Love 9 Months’ through Kerala Startup Mission.
Based on the existing guidelines issued by Ministry of Railways, Zonal Railways to take action to extend this facility at important railway stations.
*****