Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Launches Three Key Digital Initiatives to Revolutionize India’s Public Distribution System

New Delhi: In a major push towards transparency, efficiency, and citizen empowerment in food security, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi today launched three ambitious digital platforms — Depot Darpan, Anna Mitra, and Anna Sahayata — aimed at transforming India’s Public Distribution System (PDS). The initiatives mark a significant step in leveraging technology to deliver subsidized food grains to over 81 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

Speaking at the launch event, Joshi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that welfare schemes reach the most vulnerable. “Our aim is to take the government’s welfare schemes to the last man standing. The weakest in society must benefit from our programmes,” he said, recalling the massive food support extended during the COVID-19 pandemic under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which continues to provide free food grains to over 80 crore people.

At the core of today’s launch was Depot Darpan, a digital self-assessment and monitoring portal designed to help depot officials systematically evaluate and enhance warehousing operations. The platform assigns composite ratings based on infrastructural standards (such as safety, sustainability, and compliance) and operational performance (including occupancy, profitability, and efficiency). Leveraging technologies like IoT, CCTV surveillance, and live analytics, Depot Darpan aims to ensure optimal storage conditions and real-time monitoring of food grains.

Joshi noted that the initiative has the potential to save approximately ₹275 crore in FCI-owned depots through process efficiencies and generate around ₹140 crore in additional income for CWC-operated warehouses by optimizing space utilization. To address existing infrastructural gaps, the government has allocated ₹280 crore for the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and ₹1000 crore for the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to upgrade all warehouses to “Excellent” grading levels.

The Minister also unveiled Anna Mitra, a mobile app aimed at empowering key field-level PDS stakeholders, including FPS dealers, DFSO officers, and food inspectors. The app provides functionalities such as stock receipt tracking, monthly sales access, geo-tagged inspections, and FPS ratings. Initially rolled out in Assam, Uttarakhand, Tripura, and Punjab, Anna Mitra is currently available in Hindi and English, with plans for nationwide expansion and multi-language support.

In a significant step toward strengthening accountability, Joshi also launched Anna Sahayata, an advanced grievance redressal platform built on accessibility and responsiveness. Designed for the 81 crore beneficiaries of PMGKAY, the platform uses WhatsApp, IVRS, and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) to make lodging complaints as simple as sending a message or making a call. The system is currently in pilot phase in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh, with coverage in five languages.

Minister of State Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya and Shri B.L. Verma also participated in the launch, highlighting the government’s broader goal of improving service delivery through technology and citizen participation. Shri Joshi emphasized that India’s PDS infrastructure, with over 5.38 lakh Fair Price Shops, is larger than the population of several countries — a scale that demands robust digital solutions for efficient management.

Highlighting the results of the recent Household Consumption Expenditure Survey, Joshi noted that household spending on food had declined by 50% — an indicator of increased affordability and improved access to essential commodities such as milk, eggs, pulses, and fish. He also pointed to the success of the One Nation One Ration Card scheme in ensuring portability and transparency across the country.

Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Sanjeev Chopra, stated that the grading system for depots—based on a 60:40 ratio of operational and infrastructural performance—will incentivize continuous improvement and excellence. Smart warehouse technologies currently being piloted will be rolled out nationwide by the end of the year.