Dear Friends,
I would like to contribute / add in the subject matter as under:
Prior to 2010, all contracts of Indian Railways catering business were managed by IRCTC. IRCTC is wholly owned company of Indian Railways.
In light of Railway Budget Speech 2009-10 by Hon'ble Railway Minister, new catering policy 2010 is formulated. According to it, Zonal Railways has taken over the catering business from IRCTC except Food Plaza, Food Courts, fast food units. The base kitchens and the mobile catering services are taken over by the Zonal Railways from IRCTC.
The Zonal Railways are managing this business departmentally with specialized team of ex-cadre supervisors and officers up to senior scale, trained personnel from reputed Institutes of Hotel Management /Catering Institutes/Food Craft Institutes, etc. This has done with the objective to provide hygienic, good quality affordable food to the traveling public by adopting best trade and hospitality industry practices.
In the earlier system the IRCTC and its sub contractors were the contractors under the CLRA as stated by Shri. Umakanthan ji. Whereas in present system, there are no contractors.
The termination of contracts with IRCTC and in-turn, with sub contractors by IRCTC are the result of Government decision. In light of it, we should discuss the issue of termination of contract labours after 3-4 years of service without notice and compensation and pray of contract labour for reinstatement with full back wages.