FCI goes online, links 30 godowns in 1st phase

To bring transparency and minimise storage losses of foodgrains, state-run FCI today made operations online at its 30 godowns and aims to bring 524 more depots under the system by July.
Of its total 1,928 godowns, operations at 554 FCI-owned godowns will go online initially. Other godowns which have been hired from private parties would be connected to the system thereafter.
"The Depot Online System has been completed. It is an historic step. The automation of the entire process from entry and exit of foodgrains at FCI depots would bring total transparency in the working of FCI. This will improve efficiency in operations of depots," Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said after the launch of the system at an FCI depot here.

The Depot Online System will be rolled out in all 554 FCI-owned godowns by July this year. It will also be implemented in godowns owned by state-run Central Warehousing Corporation and State Warehousing Corporations as well as hired ones by March 2017, he said.
Once all depot operations are made online, Paswan said the next focus would be linking one depot to the other via online network, for which the Centre is holding discussions with state governments.
At present, only stock position data is available in

digital form at FCI depots.
However, every operation from loading to unloading of foodgrains is done manually, resulting in depot staff spending huge time in managing operational data in registers.

Depot online is an important milestone in the overall modernisation of FCI, which is engaged in procurement and storage of more than 60 million tonnes of wheat and rice and movement of 45 million tonnes of foodgrains across India.
Highlighting other digital initiatives taken to reform public distribution system (PDS), Paswan said 24.16 crore ration cards have been digitised and would be integrated with Aadhaar system in the next two years.
Point of sale device at fair price shops (FPSs) is being installed and would cover 3 lakh shops out of total 5.34 lakh FPSs by 2017, he added.
The Minister also said that the government will introduce uniform for FCI labours, both permanent and contract staff.