India is enhancing its Public Distribution System (PDS) through various digital initiatives to improve transparency, efficiency, and accessibility .
The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has launched three key platforms: Depot Darpan Portal / Anna Mitra Mobile App / and Anna Sahayata Grievance Redressal System . These initiatives aim to benefit over 81 crore people under the National Food Security Act .
Key digital platforms and their features included & given below in details :
- Depot Darpan Portal This is a self-assessment and monitoring portal for food grain depots managed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) . It uses a composite rating system based on factors like occupancy, profitability, storage efficiency, safety, environmental sustainability, and statutory compliance . The portal integrates IoT sensors, CCTV, live video feeds, and real-time analytics . It is expected to result in significant savings and generate additional revenue by optimizing storage space and operations .
- Anna Mitra Mobile App: Designed for Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers, District Food & Supply Officers (DFSO), and Food Inspectors, this app provides role-based functionalities . FPS dealers can track stock, sales, and alerts, while DFSOs can monitor FPS performance, handle grievances, and access beneficiary data . Inspectors can conduct geo-tagged inspections . The app is available in Hindi and English and is being piloted in several states .
- Anna Sahayata Platform: This is a grievance redressal platform for beneficiaries of PMGKAY and NFSA . It allows for grievance registration via WhatsApp, IVRS, and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), improving accessibility and accountability . It is available in multiple languages and is being piloted in several states .
These digital tools are part of broader efforts to reform the PDS, which include initiatives like Anna Chakra for supply chain optimization, SCAN for streamlining food subsidy claims, and the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) system . Other technological advancements include the SMART-PDS Scheme, computerized FPS with POS machines for authentication, Aadhaar linkage for beneficiary identification, DBT for cash transfers, and GPS tracking of grain delivery .
The goal of these digital transformations is to create a robust, efficient, and citizen-centric distribution system, ensuring food security with dignity and technological precision .for economy news click www.eminentnews.com
