**Executive Summary:**
This document is a response to questions raised in the Lok Sabha regarding catering services on trains, specifically the appointment of hotel management graduates, clustering of train routes for catering contracts, and allocation of these contracts. The Ministry of Railways outlines measures taken to improve food quality and hygiene, including mandating hotel management graduates for supervision, awarding contracts through a transparent bidding process, and implementing robust monitoring systems. The document references Commercial Circular No. 24 of 2023 as the basis for many of these changes.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Catering Service Improvement:**
* Objective: To improve the quality and hygiene of food on trains.
* Strategy: Award contracts for clusters of trains instead of individual trains.
* Emphasis: Infrastructure development and end-to-end accountability for food production and onboard services.
* **Staff Qualification and Training:**
* Mandate: Deployment of hotel management graduates to supervise and monitor catering services.
* Implementation: IRCTC contractors engage Degree/Diploma Hospitality Monitors.
* Deployment Numbers: 819 monitors in kitchens, 876 monitors on trains.
* **Contracting Process:**
* Clustering: IRCTC forms route-wise clusters of trains with identified locations for base kitchens.
* Awarding: Contracts awarded through a transparent bidding process to the highest bidders, adhering to tender conditions.
* Participation: 24 bidders participated, with 20 entities awarded contracts.
* Compliance: Robust monitoring systems and compliance measures in place.
* **Complaint Handling:**
* Process: Representations, suggestions, grievances, and complaints are examined on merit, and necessary action is taken.
**Impact Analysis:**
**IRCTC Contractors:**
* *Impact:* Required to deploy hotel management graduates and adhere to stricter tender conditions.
* *Action Required:* Engage Degree/Diploma Hospitality Monitors and comply with monitoring systems.
**IRCTC:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for forming route-wise clusters, managing the transparent bidding process, and monitoring contract compliance.
* *Action Required:* Enforce tender conditions, prevent unethical practices, and address representations and complaints.
**Ministry of Railways:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for setting policy and issuing instructions for catering services.
* *Action Required:* Examine representations and take necessary action based on received feedback.
**Train Passengers:**
* *Impact:* Aims to improve the quality and hygiene of food on trains through better-qualified staff and improved accountability.
* *Action Required:* Provide feedback and complaints regarding catering services for examination.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The government ministry responsible for railways in India, issuing the circular in question.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question regarding railway catering was raised.
SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO DESHMUKH: The Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question No. 2919 in the Lok Sabha.
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: The Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
IRCTC: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, responsible for catering services on trains and awarding contracts.
Commercial Circular No.24 of 2023: A document issued by the Ministry of Railways regarding improvements in food quality and hygiene on trains, mandating certain qualifications for catering staff.
Hotel Management Graduates: Individuals with degrees or diplomas in hotel management, whose deployment is mandated for supervising and monitoring catering services on trains.
Base Kitchens: Centralized kitchens established to supply meals to trains, forming a key part of the railway catering policy.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2919
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025
APPOINTMENT IN BASE KITCHEN/PANTRY CARS
†2919. SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO DESHMUKH:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether any directive for mandatory appointment of hotel management
graduates in base kitchens/pantry cars by contractors exists as on date, if
so, the details thereof;
(b) whether IRCTC contractors are not observing the said directive, if so, the
reasons therefor;
(c) whether no Hotel Management Graduate has been appointed at any rank
of various trains by IRCTC, if so, the reasons therefor;
(d) whether several railways clusters are operating more than the mandatory
two premium trains, if so, the reasons therefor;
(e) the steps taken by the Government to create clusters of trains having
different routes instead of having single route;
(f) the reasons for which trains in two railway clusters have been given to the
same family;
(g) the reasons for allocating contracts to those IRCTC contractors against
whom complaints were made by the public and passengers; and
(h) whether the Government has taken action in this matter after the proper
investigation and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (h): With the objective of bringing about improvement in quality and
hygiene of food in trains, Ministry of Railways issued instructions vide
…2/--2-
Commercial Circular No.24 of 2023. It is envisaged to award contracts for
clusters of trains in place of an individual train. Emphasis has been placed on
infrastructure development and fixing end-to-end accountability of food
production and services onboard. To ensure upgradation in services, various
provisions have been made in the Circular which inter-alia include
instructions regarding qualification and training of staff to be deployed for
managing catering services. It has been mandated to deploy Hotel
management graduates to supervise and monitor these services.
Accordingly, Degree/Diploma Hospitality Monitors are engaged by
IRCTC/contractors: 819 are deployed in multiple kitchens for monitoring the
kitchen operations and 876 are deployed in trains for monitoring on-board
catering services.
IRCTC formed route-wise clusters of trains along with identified locations for
commissioning of Base Kitchens for supply of meals in trains under the
framework of extant policy guidelines. Contracts of clusters of trains have
been awarded by IRCTC through a transparent process to the highest
bidders, as per the terms and conditions stipulated in the tender documents.
Robust monitoring systems and compliance measures have been put in place
by IRCTC to ensure compliance of tender conditions by the contractors and
prevent any unethical practices or unfair advantages to any contractor.
A total of 24 bidders participated in the tenders for clusters of trains floated
by IRCTC, out of which 20 entities have been awarded contracts by IRCTC.
No contract has been awarded by IRCTC in contradiction of the tender
conditions.
Representations, suggestions, grievances, complaints etc. received by
Railways are examined on merits and necessary action is taken accordingly.
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