Lok Sabha Question No. 6066 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-04
Subject: Poor Quality of Catering
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: C.S. PUTTARAJU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.6066 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2018

## POOR QUALITY OF CATERING

6066. SHRI C.S. PUTTA RAJU: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

(a) whether the catering service of the Railways is not up to the mark and if so, the reasons therefor;

(b) the number of catering units operational in Indian railways currently;

(c) the zone-wise names of the catering companies; and

(d)  whether  any  ceiling  has  been  fixed  for  allotment  of  such  catering units and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (d):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6066 BY SHRI C.S. PUTTA RAJU TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 04.04.2018 REGARDING POOR QUALITY OF CATERING (a): No, Madam. However, improvement of catering services is an on-going process.    In  its  endeavour  to  provide  quality  and  hygienic  food  to  the passengers, a new Catering Policy has been issued on 27 th  February 2017. As per Catering Policy 2017, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has been mandated to carry out the unbundling by  creating  a  distinction  primarily  between  food  preparation  and  food distribution on trains. In order to upgrade quality of food preparation, IRCTC is  to  set  up  new  kitchens  and  upgrade  existing  ones.  Further,  detailed instructions/guidelines have been issued to the Zonal Railways for conducting joint inspections by Medical, Commercial and concerned infrastructure maintenance departments to inspect each and every catering unit (mobile and static) including base kitchens/cell kitchens on all Railway divisions/zones. Apart from this, regular and surprise inspections are done by Food  Safety Officers, Designated Officers and Joint Food  Safety Commissioners.    A  joint  team  of  ticket  checking  staff  and  RPF/GRP  staff also conduct surprise checks to prevent unauthorised vending on stations and trains.  General Managers of the Zonal Railways have been requested to monitor  such  drives  personally.  Food  samples  collected  by  Food  Safety Officers  are  sent  to  the  nominated  accredited  Laboratories  under  Food Safety  &  Standard  Act  for  analysis  and  testing.  Penalties  are  imposed  in cases  of  detection  of  unsatisfactory  food  samples  and  prosecutions  are carried out as per provisions of Food Safety & Standard Rule -2011. (b): At present, 378 mobile and 9208 static catering units are operational in Indian Railways. (c):  As  per  Catering  Policy  2017,  Indian  Railway  Catering  and  Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has been mandated to carry out the unbundling by  creating  a  distinction  primarily  between  food  preparation  and  food distribution on  trains.  At  present,  IRCTC  has taken over almost all mobile units in phased manner from Zonal Railways and they are contracting out mobile units centrally. Details of the names of the contractors (companies/firms) providing catering services in trains are as under:-

|   S. No. | Name of Company/firm                               |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Doon's Caterers                                    |
|        2 | Express Food Services                              |
|        3 | Brandavan Food Products                            |
|        4 | R. K. Associates & Hoteliers Private Limited       |
|        5 | Sanraj Hospitality                                 |
|        6 | Roop Caterers                                      |
|        7 | J. K. Ghosh                                        |
|        8 | Arenco Catering                                    |
|        9 | Deepak & Company                                   |
|       10 | Sunshine Caterers Private Limited                  |
|       11 | Krishna Enterprises                                |
|       12 | Food World                                         |
|       13 | Satyam Caterers Private Limited                    |
|       14 | Om Sai Ram Enterprises                             |
|       15 | Ambuj Hotel & Real Estate Private Limited          |
|       16 | A. S. Sales Corporation                            |
|       17 | Poorvanchal Caterers                               |
|       18 | P. Siva Prasad                                     |
|       19 | Boon Catering Company Private Limited              |
|       20 | Singh Caterers & Vendors                           |
|       21 | Alok Kumar Ghosh                                   |
|       22 | Griham Food & Hotel Private Limited                |
|       23 | Variety Pantry Services Private Limited            |
|       24 | Golden Caterers                                    |
|       25 | Hakmichand D. & Sons                               |
|       26 | A. A. Catering Company                             |
|       27 | Hotel Rajasthan                                    |
|       28 | New Classic Caterers Private Limited               |
|       29 | Pplus Facility Management Services Private Limited |
|       30 | R. K. Food Products                                |
|       31 | Salasar Enterprises                                |
|       32 | P. K. Shefi                                        |
|       33 | Classic Caterers                                   |
|       34 | Kwality Caterers                                   |

|   35 | P. R. Kumar                                        |
|------|----------------------------------------------------|
|   36 | Seema Caterers                                     |
|   37 | Srinathji Caterers                                 |
|   38 | Vasantham Catering                                 |
|   39 | Fine Caterers & Suppliers                          |
|   40 | K. M. Musthafa                                     |
|   41 | K. M. A. Caterers                                  |
|   42 | Sai Balaji Food & Beverage (India) Private Limited |
|   43 | Speed Catering Services Private Limited            |
|   44 | Sree Venkateswara Enterprises                      |
|   45 | ABC Enterprises                                    |
|   46 | Kannelite Facility Management Services             |
|   47 | Quinn India                                        |
|   48 | Sunil Catering Services                            |

(d): As  per  the  provisions  of  New  Catering  Policy  2017,  the  following ceiling limits are applicable for various categories of catering units:(i) Stand alone Automatic Vending Machines (AVMs): An entity is allowed to hold a maximum of 10 AVMs over each Zonal Railway. (ii)  Milk  Stalls:  Authorized  franchisee/agencies  of  allottees  (apex  dairy cooperative societies approved by Government, dairy cooperative federations/members  of  NCDFI  and/or  developed  under  the  aegis  of Operation Flood Programme, bodies/agencies registered/certified by FSSAI)  are  allowed  to  hold  a  maximum  of  five  milk  stalls  per  Railway Division. (iii) Minor catering units:  A licensee is allowed to hold a maximum of five minor catering units per Division.

(iv) Food Plaza, Food Courts and Fast Food Units: An individual/firm/company  is  allowed  to  hold  a  maximum  of  two  units  per Division, subject to a further limit of 25 units over Indian Railways.

*****