RailNeer, a signature product of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), was given the award for ‘India’s Most Trusted Brand for 2016’ in the packaged drinking water segment by IBC Infomedia Privated Limited, a leading business management consultant.
IBC Infomedia Private Limited is an Indian company with its parent organisation International Brand Consulting Corporation (IBCC), a prominent business management consultant, based in the US.
At present, IRCTC has six operational Rail Neer plants located at Danapur (Bihar), Nangloi (Delhi), Palur (Tamil Nadu), Ambernath (Maharashtra), Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) and Parassala (Kerala). Two of these plants at Amethi and Parassala are under the PPP mode. Two more plants at Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) and Nagpur (Maharashtra) are expected to be commissioned in 2016-17.
HOW WELL IS ‘INDIA’S MOST TRUSTED BRAND’ DOING?
Rail Neer generated an income of Rs 118.48 crore during 2015-16 as against Rs 81.03 crore in 2014-15, registering a growth of 46.2 percent. Overall, it accounted for eight per cent of the total income of Rs 1,506 crore registered by IRCTC during 2015-16.
The total production of Rail Neer plants was 14.40 crore bottles during 2015-16 as against 11.95 crores bottles in the previous year.
Supreme Court of India in its judgment dated August 11 2016, permitted exclusive sale of “Rail Neer” packaged drinking water in all its mandatory stations. It will enable IRCTC to set up more and more Rail Neer plants across the country.
IRCTC’S CHILD LINE 1098 INITIATIVE
On the request of Ministry of Women and Child Development, IRCTC has started printing advertisement pertaining to “Child Line 1098” to help the distressed children.
On popular demand of Mumbai Suburban passengers, IRCTC will be starting production of 500 ml bottles very shortly at its Rail Neer Plant, Ambernath.
IRCTC has taken initiative to provide pure, chilled and clean water to the railway passengers across the country by installing Water Vending Machines as announced during the budget speech for the year 2014-15 by Minister for Railways. As a result of which approximately 3,500 nos. of machines will be installed spread over A-1, A, B and C category stations. As of now, roughly 700 water vending machiness have been installed over these stations covering almost 60 percent A-1 category railway stations.
IRCTC has also tied up with NABARD and Ministry of Women and Child Development to install huge number of water vending machines over D, E and F category stations by involving Self Help Groups (SHGs).