Depot Darpan: Modernization of India’s food storage infrastructure

Through the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution India will introduce Depot Darpan which functions as an online platform to boost food storage depot monitoring and management nationally. Depot Darpan relies on geo-tagging along with IoT and AI and CCTV surveillance to deliver real-time monitoring services that raise transparency levels and food distribution efficiency and safety in India's food system.

Context:

• The modernization of India’s food storage infrastructure progresses through the initiative known as Depot Darpan. 

• The portal provides real-time performance evaluations and storage facility monitoring through its integrated smart technology system.

•  India can accomplish food security goals and optimize its public distribution system performance.

Key Points:

• About: Real-time depot monitoring occurs through Depot Darpan which combines geo-tagged data along with IoT technology and AI functionalities within its digital portal and mobile application system.

• Launched by: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution established this initiative.

• Objective: The portal functions to update India's food storage infrastructure by providing better efficiency alongside transparency together with food safety measures.

Key Features:

• Real-time monitoring system: The system conducts real-time observation by deploying IoT sensors together with CCTV surveillance to track operations and infrastructure elements and financial performance indicators.

• geo-tagged infrastructure: The food storage depot managers submit geo-tagged infrastructure information to the system, which officers and independent auditors approve.

• Automated rating: Food storage facilities receive automated ratings through composite evaluation models based on their operational performance and structural quality ratings.

• Smart Tech Integration: Includes monitoring of CO₂ and phosphine gas levels, humidity, temperature, and fire hazards.

• AI Tools: Programs that count bags, perform face recognition, and perform automatic number plate recognition for tracking both vehicles and personnel movements.

• Monitoring: Through the system, there is monitoring of 2,278 warehouses, which belong to FCI and CWC and state/private agencies.

• Mobile App: Through its mobile application supervisory officials have the ability to perform assessments and create documentation while stationed anywhere.

Significance:

• Enhances food security: Through quality storage procedures, the portal provides safe storage of NFSA-distributed food grains to the entire 80 crore beneficiaries.

• Boosts efficiency: The system raises efficiency through lower food losses as well as better management of warehouse space and workforce organization.

• Good governance: The system implements digital governance by enhancing storage facilities in logistics as well as the distribution sector of India.

Conclusion:

Depot Darpan portal introduces a major breakthrough to how India handles its food storage needs. Through real-time monitoring and combination of smart technology and AI the portal achieves better storage conditions against food wastage while assisting the government's effort to ensure food security. The depot management system is an essential step forward that will modernize the way India distributes its food products and enhance both operational efficiency and system transparency in the public distribution network.