Lok Sabha Question No. 105 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-18
Subject: Revamping of Catering System
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: HARI OM PANDEY, SANTOSH KUMAR, MANOJ KUMAR TIWARI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.105

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2018

## REVAMPING OF CATERING SYSTEM

105.  SHRI HARI OM PANDAY: SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR: SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any proposal to revamp the entire of existing railway catering system to boost up revenue earnings;

(c) the details of the plan outlay of the proposals, if any, zone-wise? (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c):   In accordance with the new Catering Policy  issued on 27 th February 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.  Zonal  Railways  are  to  manage  minor  static units  (catering  stall  /milk  stalls/  trolleys  etc.)  except  base  kitchens and  kitchen  units.  The  policy  mandates  the  zonal  railways  to  hand over the kitchens managed by them to  IRCTC. Food Plaza, Fast Food Units  and  Food  Court  will  continue  to  be  managed  by  IRCTC.    At present,  IRCTC  has  taken  over  almost  all  units  in  phased  manner. Further,  the  procedure/guidelines/policy  laid  down  for  allotment  of contracts  for  running  various  stalls  at  railway  platforms  have  been simplified.

This  revamping  of  existing  railway  catering  system  by  carrying out  unbundling  under  Catering  Policy  2017  is  primarily  aimed  at providing quality hygienic food to our customers at affordable prices and  any  consequential  boost  to  revenue  earnings  thereof  is  only incidental to the above exercise.

IRCTC have taken following initiatives to upgrade mobile catering services:-    (i)  Food:  The  menu  of  prepaid  trains  has  been  revised  to upgrade the quality of meal served to the passengers (ii) Packaging of meal items: The meal Trays of bio-degradable material with air tight sealed cover for packing of meals from kitchens has been introduced initially  in  selected  Rajdhani  and  Duronto  trains.(iii)  Qualification  of Service  staff:  In  order  to  upgrade  and    to  bring  professionalism  in catering  services,  the  qualification  and  experience  in  the  relevant field for on board staff has been fixed.

(iv)  Hygiene:  Provision  of  hand  sanitizers  has  been  introduced  in prepaid trains and the same is provided to the travelling passengers before service of meal. Further, hand gloves have also been made mandatory (v)  Monitoring of catering services: IRCTC has deployed Supervisors for on-board monitoring of catering services in mobile units.  The  on  board  monitoring  staff  have  been  provided with preinstalled  complaint/feedback  monitoring  application  on  Tablets. Further,  CCTV  cameras  have  been  installed  in  Base  Kitchens  for real  time  monitoring.(vi)  Up-gradation  of  Kitchens:  16  number  of Base Kitchens have been up-graded with modern and mechanised equipments.  Food Safety Supervisors have been deployed in IRCTC managed  base  kitchens  for  audit  of  food  safety,  hygiene  and sampling of the cooked food and raw material used for preparation of meals.(vii) Service trolleys: Service trolleys have been introduced in  Rajdhani  and  Duronto  trains  for  smooth  service  in  trains  to  the travelling passengers.(viii) Implementation of POS Machines: Billing by POS machines in selected mobile units initially under IRCTC to avoid overcharging of meal by service providers. Further, the other mobile  units  are  also  being  covered  progressively.(ix)  Uniforms: New uniforms have been introduced for service and production staff of service providers.(x) Service through Train Side Vending: Facilitating of TSV services over Indian Railways through Refreshment Rooms, Jan Aahars and Cell Kitchens.(xi) Ready to Eat Meals:  Introduction  of  Ready  to  Eat  Meals  in  order  to  enable  the passengers to have variety in meals.

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