Catering to about hundreds of people including lawmakers, scribes, parliamentarians and security personnel, the Canteen has not revised its tariff for the last five years.
NEW DELHI: Amid skyrocketing prices of essential commodities over the years, parliament canteen still provides variety of foods at paltry rates.
Catering to about hundreds of people including lawmakers, scribes, parliamentarians and security personnel, the Canteen has not revised its tariff for the last five years.
One can still have a plate of rice for Rs2.50, a masala dosa for Rs4 and chicken biryani
for Rs33!
Though the prices of essential commodities such as foodgrains, vegetables, pulses, and edible oil have almost doubled in last five years, the canteen still offers a South Indian meal at about Rs12 and fish curry for nearly Rs15.
The tariff at parliament canteen was revised in April 2003. “There was 10% upward revision of prices five years ago and since then the tariff has not changed,” said a senior Lok Sabha secretariat official.
Since the canteen caters to VIPs, there is a concerted effort on the part of the staff to maintain the quality of the food.
“Whether it is the use of oil or maintaining hygienic condition we try to maintain the quality here,” the official said.
The huge canteen with its four outlets at the reception, annexe, library and at the main Parliament building has about 300 staff members. The expenditure of the canteen is jointly shared by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats.
Run by Railways, the canteen gets about Rs4.5 crore a year as subsidy to offer the lip-smacking menu at a meagre rate.
The majority of the subsidy amount goes in meeting the salaries of the staff, he said.
Price rise does not seem to have made any difference to the Parliament canteen where three-course meal, tandoori chicken, egg curry and other delicacies like pudding, and kheer are still served at cheap rates.
The demand for canteen food is always high during the Parliament session as consumption of chicken goes up to 200 kg during the period, said the official.
Besides serving in Parliament complex, the canteen service is also utilised to cater foreign dignitaries.
“We prepare special menu for foreign dignitaries and also provide special uniform to our staff for the occasion, he said.
The official said, “We charge about Rs290 per plate for the special menu which would cost nearly Rs2,000 at any hotel.”
The staff at Parliament canteen is regularly sent to Pusa Institute for periodical skill upgradation training.
“We are acquiring modern equipment like automatic dish washer, automatic chapati maker machine for the central kitchen. The kitchen is also going to be renovated soon
with AC facilities,” he added.
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