IRCTC forms new policy to upgrade quality of food

A day after the CAG released a report critical of the food served in stations and trains, the Ministry of Railways today said the IRCTC has formed a new catering policy by unbundling the current services on trains.

In order to upgrade the quality of food preparation, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) will set up new kitchens and upgrade existing ones, the ministry said in an official statement.

The IRCTC has been mandated to carry out the unbundling by creating a distinction, primarily, between food preparation and food distribution, it added.

The statement came after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), yesterday, came down heavily after observing that the food served at stations and in trains was "unfit for human consumption".

The ministry said that as per the new catering policy of 2017, the IRCTC will manage catering services on all mobile units, and pantry car contracts will also be reassigned to the railways' catering arm.

Meals for all mobile units will be picked up from the nominated kitchens owned, operated and managed by IRCTC, it added.

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