NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen

No. IV/RSAC/Conf./Part VI

Dated: 16/05/2016

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Supply of subsidized meal/food to the Running Staff-reg.

Ref: (i) NFIR’s PNMM Item No. 9/2015.
(ii) Railway Board’s letter no. 2006/M(L) /467 12 dated 12/08/2015 .
(iii) NFIR’s letter No. IV/RSAC/Conf/Part V dated 19/08/2015, 25/08/2015, 05/10/2015, 09/11/2015 and No. IV/RSAC/Conf./Part VI dated 22/02/2016.
(iv) Railway Board’s letter No. 2006/M(L)/467/2 dated 26/04/2016 addressed to GS/NFIR.

With reference to NFIR’s PNM Item No. 9/2015, the Railway Board vide letter dated 12/08/2015, had issued instructions for revision of the amount of subsidy per meal at Rs.41 or 90% of the cost of meal, whichever is less for Running Staff, considering the prices of food items. In the subsequent letter dated 26/04/2016 addressed to the GS/NFIR, the Board has conveyed that the rate of meal was increased from Rs.30 to Rs.46 out of which, 90% of the cost of meal or Rs.41, whichever is less, would be subsidized.
The reports received by the Federation however reveal that the Running Staff are disappointed very much as the supply of subsidized food suffers with number of flaws as listed below:-

• the option of Veg/Non-Veg food is no longer available, thus the staff are compelled to eat whatever food prepared by the contractor,
• sub-standard food is supplied by the contractor,
• The contractors secure contract on the basis of ‘lowest bidder’ at far below the cost of Rs.46/-. These contractors utterly fail to maintain quality for fear of incurring losses and they manage to make up the losses with the other contracts like ‘Safai’, House keeping etc., of Running Rooms. There are cases wherein the contracts of “Supply of food to Running Staff have further been entrusted to sub-contractors who are not the genuine caterers.
• System of bidding needs review so that the reputed firms/hoteliers with back ground of hotel management or owning good hotels in the area can only take part in the bidding process.
• Regular inspections by the Committee of Divisional Officers (Sr.DME, Sr.DEE, Sr.DOM, Sr.DSO etc) not being done, consequently quality suffers.
• The practice of preparation of food one time only taking place instead preparing food like dal/curries as and when staff arrive in Running Room.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Railway Board to kindly arrange to review the matter in the in text of growing dissatisfaction among Running Staff for ensuring that quality food items are served by the caterer/contractor.

Yours faithfully,
(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Copy to the General Secretaries of Zonal Unions of NFIR.
Media Centre/NFIR.
File No.9/2015 (PNM).

Source: nfirindia.org

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