Lok Sabha Question No. 1705 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-27
Subject: Issues of Catering Vending Licenses
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Bhavana Gawali (Patil), Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Arvind Ganpat Sawant

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1705 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2022

## ISSUES OF CATERING VENDING LICENSEES

1705. SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI:

SHRI SANJAY JADHAV:

SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:

## Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Ministry of Railways has received representations/ memorandum  from  Akhil  Bhartiya  Railway  Khan-Pan  Licensees  Welfare Association (regd.) as well as Hon'ble Member of Parliament highlighting the plight of small catering vending licensees/vendors, during 2020- 21 and 202122, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether issues viz., loss of business/ earnings/ loss of material/ stocks, forgoing  license  fee,  for  Covid-19  period  and  compensation,  abolition  of heavy  levy  of  GST  as  well  as  grant  of  renewals  of  license  of  individual licensees as of others have been brought to the notice of the Ministry; and
- (c)  if  so,  the  reaction  of  the  Government  to  compensate  small  licensees/ vendors for their survival?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) and (b): Yes, Sir. Representations from Akhil Bhartiya Railway Khan-Pan Licensees  Welfare  Association  (regd.)  as  well  as  Hon'ble  Members  of Parliament have been received during 2020- 21 and 2021-22 vide which relief for minor static unit vendors to deal with Covid related hardship have been sought.

These included relief in licence fee, relaxation in periodicity for deposit of licence  fee,  renewal  of  licences  of  minor  catering  units,  scrapping  of  the tendering system envisaged in Catering Policy 2017, relaxations in GST on licence  fee,  permission  for  sale  of  packed  items  on  Fruit/  Juice  stalls, platform vending permission, use of cooking gas on platforms and supply of electricity  on  subsidised  rates.  These  representations/  suggestions  have been examined on merit and action taken accordingly.

- (c): Indian Railways has taken various measures to ease the hardship faced by small licensees/ vendors during COVID pandemic, which are as under:
- (i).  The  period  for  which  stalls  were  non-  operational  during  the  Covid pandemic  was  treated  as  'Dies-Non'  and  the  contracts  were  extended accordingly.
- (ii). Relief in licence fee was given to the licensees taking into account the reduction in traffic volume and passenger footfall at stations.
- (iii).  Performance  security  deposit  has  been  reduced  from  10%  of  total contract value to 3% of the same till 31.03.2023.
- (iv).  Sale  of  packed  items  on  Fruit/Juice  stalls  has  been  allowed  to enhance sales potential.
- (v).  Zonal  Railways have been delegated powers to grant platform vending permissions to the licensee of the minor static catering units.

(vi). Instructions were issued vide Commercial Circular 22 dated 15.03.2017 to  implement  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court's  directive  vide  its  judgement  dated 29.01.2016,  which  allowed  renewal of only one  stall to licensee for maintaining livelihood. Subsequently, Hon'ble Supreme Court's vide Judgement dated 30.10.2018 in Writ Petition (C) No. 373 of 2017, directed to renew  all  licences  held  by  the  Cooperative  Societies,  Hindu  Undivided Family (HUF) and partnership firms which have been implemented.

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