New Delhi, Dec 20 (NationPress) Indian Railways provides approximately 58 crore meals annually, with a mere 0.0008 percent of these resulting in complaints, as stated by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Following investigations into these grievances, a total fine of Rs 2.8 crore has been levied over the past four years, the minister disclosed to the Rajya Sabha.

"Indian Railways (IR) is dedicated to ensuring high-quality and hygienic food for passengers. Efforts are consistently made to enhance food quality and services for travelers," he asserted.

To facilitate passenger feedback, the complaint management system has been upgraded, simplified, and made more user-friendly in recent years with the launch of the RailMadad Portal.

"The RailMadad Portal has allowed passengers to easily register complaints and suggestions. Any complaint regarding food quality on trains triggers swift and appropriate actions against service providers for inadequate service," Vaishnaw noted.

To boost food quality, hygiene, and safety, several measures have been implemented, including sourcing meals from designated base kitchens, setting up modern kitchens at strategic locations, and installing CCTV cameras in kitchens for improved monitoring. Additionally, popular and branded ingredients, such as cooking oil, flour, rice, lentils, spices, paneer, and dairy products, are now prioritized.

Other initiatives include assigning food safety supervisors to oversee hygienic practices at base kitchens, deploying on-board IRCTC supervisors on trains, and integrating QR codes on food packaging to provide transparency about the kitchen source and packaging date.

Regular deep cleaning and periodic pest control in base kitchens and pantry cars are also executed.

To guarantee compliance with food safety standards, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has mandated certification for food safety officers in each catering unit, the minister stated.