Lok Sabha Question No. 196 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-02
Subject: Poor Quality of Food
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Behanan Benny

- (a) to (c): No, Sir.

It is the continuous endeavour of Indian Railways (IR) to provide quality and hygienic food to the passengers as per norms and standards prescribed by Food  Safety and  Standards  Authority of India  (FSSAI). Whenever  any instance  of  serving  of  substandard  quality  food  is  noticed  or  reported, appropriate penal action is taken against the service provider. The details of  complaints of sub-standard quality in trains received by Indian Railway Catering  and  Tourism  Corporation  (IRCTC)  from  01.01.2021  to  31.12.2021 along with the action taken are Appended.

(d):  Inspections  are  regularly  carried  out  by  Railway/  IRCTC  officials  to check the quality of food being served in trains over IR. Special inspection drives are also conducted from time to time.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 196 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2022

## POOR QUALITY OF FOOD

## 196. SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the food served in Indian Railways is of sub-standard quality;
- (b)  if  so,  whether  any  action  has  been  taken  in  the  last  one  year  on  the agencies which took upon itself to serve food in the trains;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the last time when inspection teams checked the food served in trains;
- (e)  whether  any  survey  has  been  undertaken  by  the  Ministry  officials  to initiate  action  regarding  unhygienic  food  being  served  in  the  trains  in  the last two years; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(e)  and  (f):  No  survey  regarding  unhygienic  food  in  trains  has  been undertaken  during  the  last  two  years  as   service  of  only  'Ready  to  Eat' meals from branded players were being made available during the Corona pandemic.  Service  of  cooked  food  in  trains  was  not  allowed  in  view  of safety  and  hygiene  considerations  linked  to  Covid-19  pandemic.   Cooked food service has been resumed in phase wise manner from November 2021 onwards.

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APPENDIX REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 196 BY SHRI BENNY BEHANAN TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 02.02.2022 REGARDING POOR QUALITY OF FOOD

The details of complaints of sub-standard quality received by IRCTC from 01.01.2021 to 31.12.2021 along with the action taken are Appended are as under:-

| Total No.of Compla- ints   | Action Taken   | Action Taken            | Action Taken   | Action Taken   | Action Taken     | Action Taken        | Action Taken   | Action Taken   | Action Taken   |
|----------------------------|----------------|-------------------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|---------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
| Total No.of Compla- ints   | Fined          | Fined                   | Warned         | Termi- nated   | Suitably Advised | Not Substan- tiated | D & AR         | Any Other      | Total          |
| Total No.of Compla- ints   | No. of Cases   | Amount of Fine realised |                |                |                  |                     | Cases          |                |                |
| 657                        | 113            | 431900                  | 336            | 1              | 117              | 53                  | 0              | 37             | 657            |