Kochi base kitchen fined Rs 1 lakh, closed: Vaishnaw on firm serving stale food in trains
New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI): A base kitchen in Kochi was closed and fined Rs 1 lakh following an inspection conducted by a three-member committee comprising officers from the railways and the IRCTC, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday.
He shared this in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha by Congress MP Hibi Eden about a catering unit in Kadavanthra, Kochi, which was found serving unhygienic and stale food to passengers of express trains.
Vaishnaw said the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) regularly floats tenders to select licensees for provision of onboard catering services in trains, as mandated under the extant policy.
"These licenses are awarded through a transparent process, as per the terms and conditions stipulated in the tender documents. Performance review of catering contractors is an ongoing process, which is done by the IRCTC from time to time. Corrective action is accordingly taken in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract," the minister said.
"The base kitchen at Kochi was inspected by a committee of three officers from Railways and IRCTC, following which a penalty of Rs 1,00,000 was imposed and the base kitchen was closed.
Listing various safety measures taken to improve quality, hygiene and food safety, Vaishnaw said meals are supplied from designated base kitchens, modern base kitchens are commissioned at identified locations, CCTV cameras are installed in base kitchens for better monitoring of food preparation, popular and branded raw materials like cooking oil, atta, rice, pulses and masala etc. are used for food preparation and food safety supervisors are deployed at base kitchens to ensure food safety.
Asked whether the government proposes to consider empanelling community-run initiatives like Kudumbashree's Samrudhi network of the Kochi Municipal Corporation to supply food on trains, Vaishnaw said, "Pilot testing with Kudumbashree Samrudhi has also been carried out."
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Modi govt by changing name of MGNREGA exposed its 'hatred' towards Gandhi: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attempting to change the name and structure of the MGNREGA, has itself exposed its "hatred" towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi.
He also accused the Centre of "altering" the very structure of the scheme, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, and called Modi "anti federal".
Suggesting that the NDA government at the Centre start a "Ministry of Name Change", with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio, the CM warned of a statewide agitation against this name change move.
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
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"The Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is attempting to change the name and structure of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), has itself exposed its hatred towards the poor and towards Mahatma Gandhi," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
Implemented by the UPA government 20 years ago, the MGNREGA scheme has played a crucial role in eradicating unemployment and poverty in rural areas, he said, adding that "this scheme, which guarantees the right to employment to every individual, has received praise from economists both in India and abroad."
Noting that MGNREGA was a genuine form of employment guarantee, the CM said the proposed new structure under the Modi government strips away that guarantee and places the assurance of work at the whims of political leaders.
"This will further deepen caste discrimination and social inequality," he claimed.
Highlighting that the NDA government has altered the very structure of MGNREGA, a scheme whose entire expenditure was earlier borne by the Central government, by shifting nearly 40 per cent of the cost onto the state governments, Siddaramaiah said this stands as clear evidence of the "anti-federal attitude" that Prime Minister Modi has followed ever since coming to power.
"This move will also increase the migration of poor people in search of work as the proposed form does not guarantee employment in their own location -- forcing families to travel long distances to survive," he said.
Naming this scheme after Mahatma Gandhi, who sowed the dream of Gram Swaraj, was a meaningful decision, the CM said, "While Prime Minister Narendra Modi indulges in praising Gandhi during his foreign tours, within the country he has consistently engaged in attempts to erase Gandhi's legacy from key national programmes. From a parivar that seeks to glorify Gandhi's assassin Godse, what different conduct can one really expect?"
"Narendra Modi is widely known for simply changing the names of landmark schemes launched by the UPA government rather than preserving or strengthening them. It would be more appropriate for this government to start a 'Ministry of Name Change,' with the Prime Minister himself holding that portfolio," he said.
More than 25 flagship programmes launched during earlier governments were merely renamed or repackaged by the present regime, the CM further said, listing out that the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan was rechristened as the Swachh Bharat Mission, while the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account scheme was rebranded as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, among others.
"These changes reflect a consistent pattern of altering names rather than fundamentally strengthening or expanding the original intent of these welfare initiatives," he added.
Stating that the Congress party and state government strongly condemn this "anti-people" decision of the Narendra Modi government, which has snatched food from the plates of the poor, insulted Bapu, and attempted to strangle state governments financially, Siddaramaiah warned about launching a statewide agitation against this move.
"The responsibility of preserving the MGNREGA scheme in its original form must also be taken up by the lakhs of beneficiaries of the scheme. They must hold the BJP leaders of the state accountable and exert pressure on them to raise their voices against this injustice, rising above party lines," he said.
