New Delhi, March 19 (IANS). Initiatives such as ID cards with QR codes and digitally tracked food packets have helped the Railways prevent unauthorized vending services and provide verified catering services to passengers. This information was given by the government in Parliament on Thursday.
In order to establish the identity of authorized vendors in trains, it has been made mandatory to issue an identity card (ID card) with QR code in the name of every vendor/assistant/employee deployed for managing catering services in trains, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
Measures taken to improve quality, hygiene and food safety include supply of food from base kitchens; Establishment of modern base kitchens at identified locations; Installation of CCTV cameras in base kitchens for better monitoring of food preparation; Selection and utilization of popular and branded raw materials like cooking oil, flour, rice, pulses, masala, cheese, dairy products etc; and deployment of food safety supervisors in base kitchens to monitor food safety and hygiene practices, etc.
To ensure compliance with food safety standards, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) certification from designated food safety officers of every catering unit has been made mandatory.
Additionally, regular testing of food samples as part of the inspection and monitoring system ensures the quality of food in trains. The minister informed that third-party audits are conducted to check the cleanliness and quality of food in the pantry cars and base kitchens and customer satisfaction surveys are also conducted.
Regular training is also being conducted by IRCTC to enhance the skills of the catering staff, with special focus on customer service.
–IANS
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