Lok Sabha Question No. 630 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-03
Subject: Depot Darpan Initiative
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Dileshwar Kamait

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 630

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 3RD DECEMBER, 2025

## DEPOT DARPAN INITIATIVE

## 'i'630. SHRI DILESHWARKAMAIT:

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) the objectives and functions of the Depot Darpan portal;
- (b) the estimated financial  savings and revenue likely  to be increased  from  its  implementation at Food Corporation of India (FCI)  and Central Warehouse Corporation (CWC) depots;
- (c) the role  of  advanced technologies  such as Internet of Things  (loT)  sensors and Close Circuit Television (CCTV)  surveillance in the Depot Darpan initiative;  and
- (d) the manner in which  concerned technologies contribute to  real-time monitoring  and better operational efficiency at food grain depots?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIM ATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

(a) to  (b):  Depot Darpan is  a digital  self-assessment  and monitoring platform to  enhance the infrastructure and operational efficiency  of food  grain storage  depots

The warehouses are assessed based on two  main categories

- a.  Operational Efficiency (60% weightage): Occupancy,  Cost metrics like transit/storage loss, handling cost, Demurrage, and manpower expenses.
- b. Infrastructural Efficiency (40% weightage): including safety, operational, environmental,  and statutory  aspects
- Each category is evaluated independently, and the warehouse  receives a 5-Star rating based on the composite scoring from both.
- This is aimed to institutionalize  a mechanism for  self-evaluation on the status of  warehouse management, practices,  safety standards, infrastructure,  storage conditions,  and  financial performance aiding in improving  the existing gaps.
- Mobile  application provides access to senior officials  of Food Corporation of India/Central Warehousing Corporation/Department of Food &  Public Distribution  for monitoring of rating of the warehouses

This exercise of identifying process inefficiencies and implementing targeted interventions has the potential to yield  savings in FCI-owned  warehouses and generate additional  income in CWCoperated food  grain warehouses.

- (c): Department has undertaken a pilot  project on  Smart Warehousing  Technologies in  1. 50 Godowns of FCI  and all  the food  grain warehouses of  CWC, which  includes CCTV  Surveillance and IoT  sensors for  monitoring  key parameters such as C02  &  Phosphine levels, fire  hazards, humidity,  unauthorized entry  and  temperature on  real  time  basis for  ensuring security  and efficiency in  foodgrain storage. Depot Darpan is  integrated with  the  already installed smart warehousing technologies in Godowns.
- (d): CCTV and IoT technologies transform depot operations by ensuring:-
1. Real-time visibility
11. Timely intervention
- IiI. Data-driven decision-making
- IV. Standardized  operations across all depots

These advancements directly  contribute  to ensure safe, secure, and efficient  food  grain  storage and distribution see +q :Rage