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 at Rs 2.50, a masala dosa at Rs four and chicken biryani at paltry Rs 33!
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 Rs 12 and fish curry for nearly Rs 15.
The tariff at Parliament canteen was revised in April 2003. ",There was ten per cent 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 Rs 4.5 crore a year as subsidy to offer the lip-smacking menu at a meager rate.
The majority of the subsidy amount goes in meeting the salaries of the staff, he said.
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 at Rs 2.50, a masala dosa at Rs four and chicken biryani at paltry Rs 33!
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 Rs 12 and fish curry for nearly Rs 15.
The tariff at Parliament canteen was revised in April 2003. ",There was ten per cent 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 Rs 4.5 crore a year as subsidy to offer the lip-smacking menu at a meager rate.
The majority of the subsidy amount goes in meeting the salaries of the staff, he said.
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