The winter session of Parliament is going on. There is a lot of uproar by the opposition in every session. Due to this, the tenure of Parliament House has to be postponed daily. In such a situation, the number of MPs, journalists and spectators coming to the Parliament also increases. But do you know that there is also a canteen in Parliament. Do you know how much a veg thali costs here? Do you know how much a chapatti or roti costs here? How much this canteen has changed in the last 70 years. Actually the new Parliament building has been built. All the proceedings of the Parliament are conducted there. In such a situation, the Parliament canteen has been made more modern and equipped. Millet dishes have also been included in the food list of the canteen. Earlier, food was available cheaply in this canteen. But now food prices have increased. However, compared to other hotels, the canteen of Sansad Bhavan is still cheap.
Vegetarian thali of Parliament canteen was once available for 50 paise.
Let us tell you that after independence, the canteen present in the Parliament House complex was managed by the Northern Railway. However, in the year 2021, this category is being run by India Tourism Development Corporation. If we talk about the new prices, the price of one chapatti here is Rs 3. Whereas the price of Chicken Biryani and Chicken Curry is Rs 100 and Rs 75. Apart from this, the price of sandwich is Rs 3-6 and the price of vegetarian thali is Rs 100. Let us tell you that when I came to the country, the canteen was very small at that time. Gas stoves came later. From Jawaharlal Nehru to PM Narendra Modi have eaten food in this canteen. However, with time, there has been a lot of change in the arrangements of the canteen from year to year. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Parliament canteen was quite small and traditional. Food prices at this time were heavily subsidized. At this time the price of a vegetarian thali was 50 paise. Apart from this, tea, snacks and other food items were available to the MPs at cheap prices.
Now how much does food cost in Parliament canteen?
But food prices were also low in the 1970s and 1980s. At that time a vegetarian thali was available for Rs 30. While chicken curry was priced at Rs 50, roti was priced at Rs 2. These prices continued until the 1990s. Let us tell you that in the 1960s, a general change was seen in the Parliament canteen and LPG gas started being used. In the year 1968, IRCTC, Northern Zone of Indian Railways, took over the work of the canteen. This was the period when canteens were very cheap and various food items were available from vegetarian to non-vegetarian. There is a main kitchen in the Parliament House where all the food is prepared. From there the food is brought to five canteens. Here the food is heated and served. In such a situation, vegetables, milk, spices etc. are supplied in the morning itself.
Food is prepared for 500 people during the Parliament session
In the year 2008, the entire fuel system in the canteen was changed several times due to gas leaks in the vicinity and equipment malfunctions. Now the food here is completely cooked on electrical equipment and the work of looking after the food, arrangements and quality of the canteen is done by a committee associated with the MPs. It also sets instructions for this. Till the time the operation of the canteen was under the control of IRCTC, a staff of 400 people was kept in it. Let us tell you that when Parliament is in session, food is cooked for about 500 people. The food is prepared by 11 in the morning itself. At the same time last year, there were a total of 90 food items in the canteen. There are arrangements for breakfast, lunch etc. However, since January 27, this canteen is being operated by the Indian Tourism Development Corporation. With this the number of food items has reduced to 48. However, complete care is taken of the cleanliness and taste of the food.
Image Credit: India-Tv.