Lok Sabha Question No. 972 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-08
Subject: Poor Quality Food in Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sumalatha Ambareesh, D.K. Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 972

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2023

## POOR QUALITY FOOD IN TRAINS

972. SHRIMATI SUMALATHA AMBAREESH: SHRI D.K. SURESH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any note of the poor quality and quantity of meal as well as food materials served in Rajdhani and other express trains;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has received any complaints from the passengers in this regard, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  carried  out  any  food  sample  test  on trains,  if  so,  the  details  along  with  the  monitoring  and  complaints redressal on passenger amenities; and
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  stringent  action  against  the persons/agency who are responsible for serving the poor quality food, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a):  It  is  a  continuous  endeavour of Indian Railways (IR) to provide good quality and hygienic food to passengers as per the prescribed norms and standards by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the notified quantity.

(b): Whenever any instance of poor quality of food being served in trains is noticed or reported, suitable action including imposition of fines, Discipline and Appeal Rules (D&AR) action etc. is taken in each and every case.

Details of complaints received during 2022-23 (up to 31.12.2022) along with actions taken are appended.

(c): Food samples are being collected regularly as a part of inspection and monitoring mechanism to ensure that quality of meals being supplied on trains is up to the mark. During 2022-23 (up to 31.01.2023), 2790 samples were collected by Railways/Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC). In addition, following steps have been taken to monitor the quality of food to passengers and complaint redressal:

-  IRCTC supervisors have been deployed onboard on end to end basis in Rajdhani trains.
-  Food  Safety  Supervisor/IRCTC  officials  have  been  deployed  at Kitchen Units from where meals are supplied in trains.
-  Monitoring of food preparation on a real time basis through CCTV
- Cameras installed in Base Kitchens /Kitchen Units  .
-  Third  Party  Audit  is  done  to  examine  hygiene  and  cleanliness  in Pantry Cars and Kitchen Units. Customer satisfaction survey is also
- conducted.
-  Regular and surprise inspections are conducted by Railway/ IRCTC officials including Food Safety Officers.
-  A robust system has been put in place for passenger feedback and complaints  redressal  through  Rail  Madad,  Twitter  handle  @  IR CATERING, CPGRAMS, E-Mail and SMS.

(d): Details of complaints received during 2022-23 (up to 31.12.2022) along with actions taken are appended.

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APPENDIX  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY TO PART  (b) AND  (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 972 BY SHRIMATI SUMALATHA AMBAREESH AND SHRI D.K. SURESH TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 08.02.2023 REGARDING POOR QUALITY FOOD IN TRAINS (b)  and  (d):  The  details  of  complaints  received  during  2022-23  (up  to

31.12.2022) along with actions taken against them are as under:

| Head                  |   Total Complaints |   Fined |   Warned |   Suitably Advised |   Not Substantiated |   Resolved |   Non actionable others |   Total |
|-----------------------|--------------------|---------|----------|--------------------|---------------------|------------|-------------------------|---------|
| Quality/ Raw Material |               7544 |      39 |      969 |               1793 |                 206 |       1588 |                    2949 |    7544 |
| Quantity              |                707 |       2 |       52 |                153 |                  92 |        181 |                     227 |     707 |
| Total                 |               8251 |      41 |     1021 |               1946 |                 298 |       1769 |                    3176 |    8251 |

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