Lok Sabha Question No. 5277 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-05
Subject: Poor Quality of Food
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: P. KARUNAKARAN, (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE, SURESH KODIKUNNIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5277 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2017

## POOR QUALITY OF FOOD

5277. SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN:

ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is planning to announce new rail policy for its catering services;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether this will separate cooking and distribution onboard and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government is  receiving  a  deluge  of  complaints  about poor quality of food and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  whether  the  new  scheme  will  improve  the  condition  and  if  so,  the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to  (c):    Yes,  Madam.  New  Catering  Policy  has  been  notified  on 27 th   February,  2017  with  the  objective  to  provide  quality  food  to  rail passengers by unbundling of catering services on trains. 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.  In  order  to  upgrade  quality  of  food preparation  IRCTC  to  set  up  new  kitchens  and  upgrade  existing  ones.

The salient features of the new Catering Policy 2017 are as under :-

- i. IRCTC to  manage catering service on all mobile units.  Pantry car  contracts  awarded  by  zonal  railway  to  be  reassigned  to IRCTC.
- ii. Meals  for  all  mobile  units  to  be  picked  up  from  the  nominated kitchens owned, operated and managed by IRCTC.
3. IRCTC not to outrightly outsource or issue licenses for provision of  catering  services  to  private  licensees.  IRCTC  to  retain  the ownership and be fully accountable for all the issues pertaining to setting up and operation of the Base Kitchens and quality of
- iii. food.
- iv. IRCTC to engage service providers from hospitality industry for service of food in trains.
- v. All  four  Base  Kitchens  under  departmental  operation  of  Zonal Railways (Nagpur, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CSTM) , Mumbai Central (BCT) and Balharshah) and all kitchen units i.e. Refreshment Rooms at A1 and A category stations, Jan Ahaar, Cell Kitchens are to be handed over to IRCTC on 'as is where is basis'.  IRCTC to set up its own Kitchens at additional stations, if required.
- vi. Kitchen structures/land/space to be handed over by zonal Railways  to  IRCTC,  for  a  period  of  10  years  extendable  for another period of 5 years, on a token license fee.
- vii. IRCTC  to  be  responsible  for  management  of  Food  Plaza,  Food Courts, Fast food units within the ambit of this policy.
- viii. The setting up/ development / refurbishment of new or existing Base Kitchens/Kitchen units to be undertaken by IRCTC. These kitchens are to be owned, operated and managed by IRCTC.
- ix. IRCTC  to  develop  different  types  of  kitchens  keeping  in  view supply of food and usage assessed.
- x. IRCTC  to  develop  the  Business  model  for  the  kitchens  so  that they can expand and enhance the service.  IRCTC to prepare a detailed concession agreement for setting up/development of the kitchens.
- xi. Zonal  railway  to  manage  static  unit  (catering  stall  /milk  stalls/ trolleys  etc.)  except  base  kitchens  and  kitchen  units  to  be handed over to IRCTC .
- xii. For  the  purpose  of  allotment,  a  Refreshment  Room  (at  B  and below category stations) or a stall or a trolley to be deemed as one unit.  As such, a single unit is to be awarded through a single license.
- xiii. Provision of perpetual renewal has been done away with. Now it has been envisaged that tenure of all static units (except kitchen units and Food Plaza) shall be 5 years only. Tenure of Food Plaza shall be for a period of 9 years.
- xiv. Allotments of General Minor Units at all category stations to be done  through  open,  competitive,  two-packet  tendering  system from the eligible bidders by divisions.
- xv. For the first time, it has been envisaged that allotment of Special Minor units (reserved category) at all  category stations will be done  by  divisions  through  open  tendering  system  within  the similar  reserved  category.  The  technical  eligibility  criteria  has been simplified.

(d): 1,869 complaints related to poor quality of catering services in trains were received during the year 2016 (i.e. 01.01.2016 to 31.12.2016).

(e):  Yes,  Madam.    The  features  enunciated in the new Catering  Policy, 2017 are expected to improve the conditions as a clear distinction has been  made  between  food  preparation  and  food  distribution.    Further, initiatives taken to improve catering services inter-alia include: (i) E-catering has been implemented at 357 A1 and A category stations for  widening  the  range  of  options  available  to  passengers  for  ordering fresh and hot food of their choice. Proliferation of the scheme at other major stations, being a continuous process, has been mandated through IRCTC (ii) Empanelment of Self Help Groups (SHGs) to provide healthy, wholesome regional cuisine at an affordable cost to the travelling public through e-catering has been initiated and 9 SHGs have been empanelled at 10 stations. (iii) Introduction of 'Ready to Eat' (RTE) precooked food (optional)  on  trains  to  ensure  supply  of  hot  meals  to  passengers  has been mandated by Ministry of Railways through IRCTC.

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