On Thursday, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution announced that the government will shortly introduce a new real-time platform to track food storage depots, confirming they meet the highest quality and safety standards. The “Depot Darpan” portal and mobile app, set to launch on May 20, is part of a larger government effort to improve food security for over 80 crore beneficiaries using scientific warehousing and advanced storage solutions for food grains.

The Depot Darpan portal will allow depot managers to track infrastructure, operational performance, and financial results in almost real-time. By uploading geo-tagged details about depot facilities, managers will get automated ratings and actionable recommendations for timely improvements. The system guarantees thorough administration with 100% validation by supervisory authorities and spontaneous third-party audits. Warehouses will be assessed on two main factors: infrastructure, which includes safety, storage conditions, environmental considerations, technology use, and compliance with regulations, and operational efficiency, which looks at stock turnover, losses, space use, labour costs, and profitability. Each depot will be assigned a star rating based on a combined score from these areas.

Depot Darpan integrates advanced innovative warehousing technologies to produce a smooth digital system. Real-time monitoring using CCTV and IoT sensors will track essential factors like CO₂ levels, phosphine gas, fire risks, humidity, temperature, and unauthorised entry. Moreover, AI-driven technologies like bag counting, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) for tracking vehicles, and Face Recognition Systems (FRS) for access control are being tested in some warehouses.

The initiative will cover around 2,278 warehouses. It will include warehouses managed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), and those leased from state or private agencies. The Depot Darpan mobile app will allow supervisory officials to track warehouse performance in real-time, helping them make informed decisions and drive continuous improvements through automated reports.