Lok Sabha Question No. 1730 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-21
Subject: E-Catering Service
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Gitaben Vajesingbhai Rathva, Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor, Parbatbhai Savabhai Patel, Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya, Shantanu Thakur

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1730

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.09.2020

## E-CATERING SERVICE

†1730.  SHRIMATI RATHVA GITABEN VAJESINGBHAI:

SHRI JASWANT SINGH BHABHOR:

SHRI PARBATBHAI SAVABHAI PATEL:

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

SHRI SHANTANU THAKUR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  the  revenue  earned  as  compared  to  the  expenditure incurred by IRCTC on the E-catering service during the last three years;
- (b)  the  details  of  the  target  fixed  in  comparison  to  the  passengers  who ordered food from IRCTC E-catering service during the last three years; and
- (c)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  IRCTC  E-catering service?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

## (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a):  The  details  of  the  revenue  earned  as  compared  to  the  expenditure incurred  by  Indian  Railway Catering  and  Tourism  Corporation  (IRCTC) on the e-Catering service during the last three years are as follows:

| Financial Year   |   Revenue Earned ( ₹ in crores) |   Expenditure Incurred ( ₹ in crores) |
|------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| 2017-18          |                            3.47 |                                  3.9  |
| 2018-19          |                            4.42 |                                  4.65 |
| 2019-20          |                            8.63 |                                  6.47 |

(b):  The  details  of  the  target  fixed  in  comparison  to  the  passengers  who ordered food from IRCTC e-catering service during the last three years are as follows:

|                                                                    | 2017-18   | 2018-19   | 2019-20   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Target set for no. of meals booking                                | 15,000    | 10,376    | 20,000    |
| Target achieved in no. of meals booking through e-Catering per day | 5,188     | 11,858    | 21,571    |

(c):  E-catering service on Indian Railways is managed by IRCTC. Initially, e-Catering, as a pilot project, was undertaken on 45 major stations and has subsequently been extended to all 'A-1' & 'A' category of stations. Prior to COVID-19  pandemic,  e-Catering  service  was  available  at  325  Railway stations through 225 Service Providers and 12 Food Aggregators, supplying an average number of 21,571 meals per day.

Various steps have been taken by IRCTC to proliferate e-Catering which are as follows:

- (i)  A  user  friendly  mobile  version  of  website  has  been  created  which  is gathering an encouraging response from the passengers.
- (ii)  Reputed  delivery  aggregators  have  been  roped  in  to  facilitate  smooth delivery of food.
- (iii) Issuance of electronic invoice for orders booked through e-Catering.
- (iv) Online registration of vendors.
- (v)  Vendors/Aggregators  can  apply  for  ID  card,  food  delivery  through electronically mode only.
- (vi)  Bulk  Order  mechanism has facilitated  group  passengers to get 'value for money' food.

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