The Delhi Solidarity Group points to new railways policy affecting caterers. The policy has resulted in termination of employment and livelihoods for thousands of small caterers while monopolizing these services in favor of few businessmen.

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Friends,


It is important to remember that IRCTC is unemploying thousands of these people in the name of cleaning up the system and making it transparent. However, in effect, since the new policy in 2005, the IRCTC contracts have ended up creating the most corrupt system of monopoly contracts, owned by a coterie of about 10 rich businessmen. It is this injustice that has forced the small vendors and salespeople to take to this agitation.


We all travel by train and have been lifetime beneficiaries of the services of these men and women, majority who are single earning people of their famillies and many who are living with disabilities or are widows, etc. Remember, the new system of monopoly contracts has also substantially hiked the prices of eatables and other goods in the railway platform, against our (the passenger's) interest.


It is important that we recognise and lend our meaningful support to such struggles of affected people, around us... It is important to stand by them and your support matters to them... The Railway catering policy of this country cannot be just whimsical anti-poor prejudices of some Delhi bureaucrats, it has to cater to people - those who sell and those who benefit/buy.


In Solidarity,


Vijayan MJ

SMALL RAILWAY CATERERS UNITE
To ask for New Catering Policy
 

We, vendors of eatables at the platforms of railway stations, have been serving passengers for decades, without complaint against us. However, we are pushed to wage agitations against the Catering Policy of 2005 adopted by the Railways and IRCTC that aims to benefit and promote capitalists at our cost. This is being done through terminating our licenses and rendering threatening our livelihoods. IRCTC even succeeded in making us jobless through unfair means – intimidation, tricks and by furnishing false information in various courts. Another conspiracy is underway in the Railway Board with respect to the proposed policy of 2010 which, if implemented, will render 60,000 families jobless.

 

Hon’ble Minister of Railways had given assurance in the Parliament in July and December 2009 that no vendor would be removed. She had also stated that the IRCTC will only look after tourism and not catering services. In this backdrop, the Railway Budget 2010-2011, which proposed to amend the earlier policy is commendable. Despite this, a section of the bureaucracy in the Ministry has clearly hinted at continuing the killer policy which is not unacceptable to the thousands of small caterers, helpers, khomcha wallahs and their families, whose livelihood and lives would be unfairly affected by this. We have, therefore, decided to protest against this proposed unjust move and make our agitation even stronger.

 

A Dharna will be organized on March 11, 2010 at Jantar Mantar Road, New Delhi. Well-known Social activist Ms Medha Patkar Ji and other activists belonging to various people’s movements and worker’s organizations and unions will be present in our support. We are also inviting leaders of the national political parties to join and support the struggle.

 

Our demands:

 

1. Amend Catering Policy (Khan-Pan Niti) - 2005 along with the proposed amendments to save small licensee vendors and make agreements with them.

2. Amend the GDP formula to make license fees affordable to vendors.

3. Roll back license fees increased for Renewal/agreement, extra item, and direct that without supplying new rate list, arrears should not be collected on this basis. Implement the new rates only after the date of issuing new rate list and permissions given for selling new items.

4. Restore license to the vendors who were forcefully prevented from running their stalls by the IRCTC. Repair the broken or demolished stalls and hand over them to the affected vendors.

5. Transfer the License to the dependents of the licensee after death of the license holder.

6. Plan for the renewal and aesthetic changes at each Railway Station with the full participation of existing stall holders.

7. Recover the arrears and balance of payments for all AVM holders and other large pantry car contractors.

 

You are requested to be present at Jantar Mantar Road, New Delhi at 9 AM to show unity with us and to make strengthen our voice and protest.

 

Yours,

Ravinder Gupta          Mahboob Alam Lari               Edul Morena      Girish Sharma    

President                        General Secretary                                            

9013432010                    9350219661                              Raghavendrji     Sitaram Sharma

 

Akhil Bharatiya Railway Khan-Pan Licensees Welfare Association

National Federation of Railway Catering and Vending Licensees

Indian Railway Caterers Association & National Alliance of People’s Movements

In Solidarity:  Delhi Solidarity Group

Madhuresh : 09818905316               Vijayan M.J. (9868165471)                 Bhupender Rawat: 011-20506929