Railways today unveiled its new catering policy. Releasing the policy in New Delhi, Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said, under the new policy, meals for all mobile units will be picked up from the nominated kitchens, owned operated and managed by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). <br/><br/>Zonal Railways will manage static units except base kitchens and kitchen units will be handed over to IRCTC. Allotment of minor catering units at all category of stations will be done through open tender. <br/><br/>Provision of perpetual renewal has been done away with in the new policy. Now, it has been envisaged that tenure of all static units except kitchen units and food plaza shall be five years only. The policy talks about ceiling limit on holding of minor units including milk stalls, computation of units has been defined for smooth implementation of renewal. <br/><br/>Thirty three per cent sub-quota for women in allotment of each category of minor catering units at all stations has been provided. <br/><br/>For the first time, allotment of special minor units (reserved category) at all stations will be done through open tendering system within the similar reserved category. The technical eligibility criteria has been simplified.