(a) whether any fresh guidelines have been issued by the Government for catering services in the trains and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government is considering any proposal for giving catering service to women self-help groups and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Railways gives priority to the women self-help groups in its works;
(d) if so, the details of the said works; and
(e) if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)
(a): The guidelines for providing catering services in trains have been stipulated in the Catering Policy, 2010. Further, Standard Bid Document has been issued in 2013 by the Railway Board wherein various terms & conditions and guidelines for award of pantry car contracts for provision of catering services in trains have been enunciated. Besides this, in order to widen the range of food options available to passengers, E-catering services have been introduced in 2015, through Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) in, trains without pantry car or Train Side Vending as well as on 45 designated stations from where passengers of originating/passing trains can avail of this facility.
(b) to (e): There is no provision for awarding contracts to Women Self Help Groups on criteria other than those stipulated in Catering Policy, 2010.
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