Lok Sabha Question No. 2001 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-03
Subject: Quality of Food
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ramcharan Bohra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2001 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.07.2019

## QUALITY OF FOOD

## †2001. SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  food  being  served  to  passengers  in  trains  is  not qualitatively good and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Railways has constituted any committee to conduct an enquiry in this regard;
- (c) if so, the details and the outcomes thereof;
- (d) whether  this  Government  has  received  any  complaints  regarding quality of food over the years;
- (e) if so, the action taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (f) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to make the quality of food better in future?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

## (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a):  No,  Sir.  However,  it  is  continuous  endeavour  of  Indian  Railways  to provide good quality catering services. Some complaints regarding quality of food are received from time to time which are appropriately addressed, data for which can be seen in the appendix.

(b & c): Railways has not constituted any Committee to conduct an enquiry regarding  food  quality.  However,  Third  Party  Audits  are  conducted  by IRCTC to check the quality of food on trains.

(d & e): The number of complaints received regarding quality of food during the  last  three  years  along  with  the  action  taken  in  this  regard  are appended.

## (f):  Steps taken to improve quality of catering services:

To  provide  safe,  healthy  and  quality  food  to  passengers,  a  new Catering  Policy  had  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  unbundling  by  creating  a distinction  primarily  between  food  preparation  and  food  distribution  on trains. To ensure hygienic and safe food to passengers, following measures have been taken by Railways:

- I. In order to upgrade quality of food preparation, IRCTC has upgraded 46 Kitchen Units in the last two years.  CCTV cameras have been installed in  38  Base  Kitchens  for  monitoring  purposes  and  web-based  live streaming facility is being extended to these kitchens.
- II. To upgrade the quality of meals to be served to the passengers, menus are being rationalized by IRCTC.
- III. Branded  food  providers  have  been  roped  in  to  provide  e-catering services in trains.
- IV. Food  Safety  Supervisors  have  been  deployed  at  Kitchen  Units  to monitor food safety and hygiene practices.
- V. Regular  and  surprise  inspections  are  conducted  by  Railway  officials including Food Safety Officers.
- VI. System of printing barcode and other details like name of kitchen, date of packaging etc. on food packets has been initiated at few places and it is planned to upscale this all over.

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APPENDIX REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (d) AND (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  2001  BY  SHRI  RAMCHARAN  BOHRA  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN LOK SABHA ON 03.07.2019 REGARDING QUALITY OF FOOD (d)  &  (e):  The  number  of  complaints  received  in  regard  to  quality  of  food during the last three years along with the action taken in this regard:-

|               |                              |                | Total No. of   | Action Taken   | Action Taken                | Action Taken   | Action Taken   | Action Taken     | Action Taken      | Action Taken   | Action Taken   | Action Taken   |
|---------------|------------------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
|               | Total                        | Head           | aints          | Fined          | Fined                       |                | Terminated     | Suitably Advised | Not Substantiated | D & AR Action  | Any Other      | Total          |
| Zonal Railway | Complai nts received in Year |                | Compl          | No. of Cases   | Amount of Fine imposed      | Warned         |                |                  |                   |                |                |                |
|               |                              | Quality        | 98             | 33             | ₹ 1,11,000                  | 17             | 0              | 11               | 15                | 0              | 22             | 98             |
|               | 2018-19                      | Others         | 1223           | 585            | ₹ 35,96,090                 | 171            | 0              | 98               | 185               | 11             | 173            | 1223           |
|               |                              | Total          | 1321           | 618            | ₹ 37,07,090                 | 188            | 0              | 109              | 200               | 11             | 195            | 1321           |
| Total         | 2017-18                      | Quality Others | 958 4097       | 260 1998       | ₹ 21,33,166 ₹ 3,60,72,034   | 130 641        | 11 5           | 40 288           | 45 292            | 0 9            | 472 864        | 958 4097       |
| (ZRs)         |                              | Total          | 5055           | 2258           | ₹ 3,82,05,200               | 771            | 16             | 328              | 337               | 9              | 1336           | 5055           |
|               |                              | Quality        | 1755           | 932            | ₹ 75,35,200                 | 522            | 1              | 89               | 67                | 0              | 144            | 1755           |
|               | 2016-17                      | Others         | 6761           | 3511           | ₹ 3,77,29,1001718           |                | 1              | 378              | 428               | 3              | 722            | 6761           |
|               |                              | Total          | 8516           | 4443           | ₹ 4,52,64,3002240           |                | 2              | 467              | 495               | 3              | 866            | 8516           |
| IRCTC         | 2018-19                      | Quality        | 2079           | 348            | ₹ 23,57,720                 | 958            | 0              | 459              | 167               | 0              | 147            | 2079           |
| IRCTC         |                              | Others         | 5783           | 2338           | ₹ 1,56,35,0801791           |                | 0              | 691              | 352               | 2              | 609            | 5783           |
| IRCTC         |                              | Total          | 7862           | 2686           | ₹ 1,79,92,8002749           |                | 0              | 1150             | 519               | 2              | 756            | 7862           |
| IRCTC         |                              | Quality        | 1150           | 316            | ₹ 19,18,750                 | 321            | 0              | 330              | 73                | 0              | 110            | 1150           |
| IRCTC         | 2017-18                      | Others         | 3712           | 1300           | ₹ 86,95,516                 | 892            | 0              | 703              | 358               | 1              | 458            | 3712           |
| IRCTC         |                              | Total          | 4862           | 1616           | ₹ 1,06,14,2661213           |                | 0              | 1033             | 431               | 1              | 568            | 4862           |
| IRCTC         |                              | Quality        | 709            | 102            | ₹ 6,60,150                  | 225            | 0              | 212              | 30                | 4              | 136            | 709            |
| IRCTC         | 2016-17                      | Others         | 1212           | 267            | ₹ 14,15,428                 | 358            | 1              | 214              | 179               | 17             | 176            | 1212           |
| IRCTC         |                              | Total          | 1921           | 369            | ₹ 20,75,578                 | 583            | 1              | 426              | 209               | 21             | 312            | 1921           |
| Grand         | 2018-19                      | Quality        | 2177           | 381            | ₹ 24,68,720                 | 975            | 0              | 470              | 182               | 0              | 169            | 2177           |
|               |                              | Others         | 7006           | 2923           | ₹ 1,92,31,1701962           |                | 0              | 789              | 537               | 13             | 782            | 7006           |
|               |                              | Total          | 9183           | 3304           | ₹ 2,16,99,8902937           |                | 0              | 1259             | 719               | 13             | 951            | 9183           |
|               | 2017-18                      | Quality Others | 2108 7809      | 576 3298       | ₹ 40,51,916 4,47,67,5501533 | 451            | 11 5           | 370 991          | 118 650 10        | 0              | 582 1322       | 2108 7809      |
| Total         |                              | Total          | 9917           | ₹ 3874         | ₹ 4,88,19,4661984           |                | 16             | 1361             | 768               | 10             | 1904           | 9917           |
|               |                              |                |                |                |                             |                |                |                  |                   | 4              | 280            |                |
|               | 2016-17                      | Quality        | 2464           | 1034           | ₹ 81,95,350                 | 747            | 1              | 301              | 97                |                |                | 2464           |
|               |                              | Others         | 7973           | 3778           | ₹ 3,91,44,5282076           |                | 2              | 592              | 607               | 20             | 898            | 7973           |
|               |                              | Total          |                | 4812           | ₹ 4,73,39,8782823           |                | 3              | 893              | 704               | 24             |                |                |
|               |                              |                | 10437          |                |                             |                |                |                  |                   |                |                | 117810437      |

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