Policy guidelines for Premium Indent scheme have been issued in December 2020. Salient features of the policy are:–

• The customer can indicate a date of supply of rakes and also whether he/she will load if the rake is supplied after due date on Normal tariff rate.
• The customer is required to pay 5% premium on normal freight in advance. If the rake is supplied later than the indicated date on the indent, the premium paid is adjusted against the normal freight.
• On payment of 5% premium on normal freight, the indent is given priority and assurance in allocation of rake on nominated day(s) indicated by him/her.
• In the goods shed also, the customer is permitted to place premium indent. Customer gets priority for allocation on two days, presently Monday and Friday, as notified under Preferential Traffic Order issued by Railway Board from time to time. On other days, normal order of priority of indents is followed.
• Premium Indent once placed cannot be withdrawn; withdrawal of the indent invites forfeiture of the premium paid.
• This premium indent policy is not applicable to restricted destinations and destinations regulated by quota.
• The scheme is optional.

This information was given by the Minister of Railways, Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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DJN