A New Era of Digitally Empowered Food Security and Transparent Welfare Delivery

In a landmark move aimed at enhancing transparency, operational efficiency, and citizen empowerment within India's Public Distribution System (PDS), the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Pralhad Joshi, today launched three transformative digital platforms — the Depot Darpan Portal, Anna Mitra, and Anna Sahayata. The inauguration event underscored the Government of India’s continued emphasis on leveraging digital innovation to support food security initiatives that currently benefit over 81 crore citizens under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

Driving Last-Mile Delivery of Food Security

Addressing a distinguished gathering at the launch event, Shri Joshi reiterated the government's unwavering commitment to inclusive welfare, stating, "Our aim is to take the government’s welfare schemes to the last man standing. The weakest in society must benefit from our programmes." Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic response, he emphasized how the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) provided free food grains to more than 80 crore people, which remains a cornerstone of India's poverty alleviation efforts.

India’s Vast PDS Infrastructure and its Global Impact

India's PDS infrastructure is one of the largest in the world, with over 5.38 lakh Fair Price Shops (FPS) serving as lifelines for subsidized food grain distribution. Shri Joshi noted that India has managed to shield its population from global inflationary trends, primarily through proactive nutritional security strategies such as distribution of fortified rice and improved logistics.

The Union Minister also highlighted the findings of the recent Household Consumption Expenditure Survey, which showed a 50% decline in food expenditure, attributed to increased affordability and access to nutritional staples like milk, eggs, pulses, and fish. Another major achievement cited was the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme, allowing seamless food grain access nationwide and bolstering beneficiary portability and system transparency.

Depot Darpan: Reinventing Foodgrain Warehousing Standards

The centerpiece of today’s launch was the Depot Darpan Portal, a smart, digital self-assessment and real-time monitoring tool designed for depots operated by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC).

Depot Darpan assigns a Composite Rating to foodgrain warehouses based on:

• Infrastructural Parameters: Safety, environmental compliance, and sustainability.

• Operational Metrics: Occupancy levels, storage efficiency, profitability, and space utilization.

This platform integrates IoT sensors for live monitoring of temperature, humidity, and grain quality, along with CCTV surveillance and video analytics to ensure accountability and data-driven decision-making. According to Shri Sanjeev Chopra, Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, this initiative aligns with the broader Viksit Bharat vision and includes a grading framework where 60% weightage is assigned to operational performance and 40% to infrastructure standards.

Pilot evaluations project a potential ₹275 crore savings in FCI-operated depots and an income boost of ₹140 crore in CWC warehouses through optimized space use and improved operational workflows.

To upgrade warehousing infrastructure, the government has earmarked a capital expenditure of ₹1,280 crore, with ₹1,000 crore allocated to FCI and ₹280 crore to CWC.

Anna Mitra: Empowering PDS Stakeholders at the Field Level

Anna Mitra, a mobile-based application, is built to cater to the operational needs of key PDS field functionaries, including:

• FPS Dealers: Access real-time stock updates, monthly sales data, and government alerts.

• DFSO Officers: Monitor FPS performance, manage grievance logs, and review beneficiary data.

• Food Inspectors: Conduct geo-tagged site inspections and track stock movements.

Currently launched in Assam, Uttarakhand, Tripura, and Punjab, Anna Mitra supports Hindi and English, and will soon expand across all Indian states and union territories.

Anna Sahayata: Grievance Redressal Built on Citizen-Centric Design

Anna Sahayata is a cutting-edge grievance redressal platform aimed at over 81 crore PMGKAY beneficiaries. Built to maximize accessibility, the system uses modern communication technologies like:

• WhatsApp integration

• Interactive Voice Response Systems (IVRS)

• Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)

The platform is currently being piloted in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh, with support in five languages: Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu, Bangla, and English. Its goal is to reduce grievance resolution time, enhance system responsiveness, and ensure that every citizen’s voice is heard efficiently and fairly.

Vision for a Digitally Driven Welfare System

Together, Depot Darpan, Anna Mitra, and Anna Sahayata represent a monumental leap toward a digitally empowered and transparent welfare delivery system. By combining data analytics, real-time monitoring, and multilingual interfaces, these platforms promise to enhance governance quality and citizen experience in food security administration.

Aligned with the Digital India mission, these initiatives not only strengthen India’s welfare infrastructure but also highlight the country’s leadership in leveraging digital tools for social transformation. As India continues its journey toward becoming a Viksit Bharat, these innovations in the PDS are poised to serve as global best practices in inclusive public service delivery.