(a) whether the Government has carried out or contemplating
to carry out any survey to find out employment opportunities on
railway stations and on the additional railway land adjoining to
railway stations ;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the number of contracts/licences issued to start shops
and stalls to create employment opportunities on these places during
each of the last three years; and
(d) the details thereof ?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS ( SHRI R. VELU )
(a)to (d) Catering activities at Railway stations and on adjoining
railway land has potential of generating employment opportunities
in the form of manpower deployment for such activities. However,
Railways are hiving off such activities to Indian Railway Catering
and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) and all new catering licences
will be awarded by IRCTC. IRCTC has surveyed and is in process of
survey for setting up of new catering units, Food Plazas, Budget
Hotels, Rail Neer Plant etc.
Hon’ble Minister for Railways announced on the floor
of Parliament that IRCTC will set up 50 new Food Plazas, six Budget
Hotels and Rail Neer Plants in the first phase which in turn will
also generate employment opportunities. IRCTC has set up Nil Food
Plazas in 2001- 02, 4 Food Plazas in 2002-03, 15 Food Plazas in
2003-04 and 8 Food Plazas in current year i.e. 2004-05. Approximately
1620 persons got employment in these Food Plazas. 12 new Food
Plazas will be set up in the next four months, which will give
employment to 720 persons. Similarly, Nil Static Catering Units
were set up in 2001-02 and 2002-03, 02 Small Static Units in 2003-04
and 1 Static Unit was set up in current year i.e. 2004-05. 30 persons
in total got employment in these static units. IRCTC installed two
Rail Neer Plant at Nangoli (Delhi) and Danapur in the year 2003-04
in which 150 persons got employment. IRCTC has also finished a
survey for setting up of Budget Hotels at 6 major places, which
will generate employment for 600 persons. All such employments,
mentioned above, will be generated through licensees.
Railway Land, which is not immediately required for railway uses, is also utilized for
i) Grow More Food Scheme, by licensing the land to Railway employees belonging to Group ‘C’ &’ D’.
ii) Plantation of Jatropha Curcas for producing Bio-diesel.
iii) Commercial Development.