(THE GIST OF PIB) Anna-Chakra

(AUGUST-2025)

Recently, the Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution informed about Anna-Chakra.

It is a supply chain optimisation tool under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
It is developed in collaboration with the World Food Programme(WFP) and Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT-Delhi.
It is spearheaded by the Department of Food Public Distribution.

The project leverages advanced algorithms to identify optimal routes and ensure seamless movement of food grains across supply chain nodes.
An operation of this magnitude involves a complex supply chain, relying on multiple stakeholders starting from farmers to Fair Price Shops.
This exercise has covered 4.37 Lakhs Fair Price Shops and approx. 6700 warehouses involved in the PDS supply chain.
The interstate route optimization tool has been developed for optimization of the PDS movement between the states and it is integrated with the FOIS (Freight Operations Information System) portal of the Railways through Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP).
A significant milestone in this effort is the integration of the optimization tool with the PM Gati Shakti platform which now houses geo -locations of FPSs and warehouses across the states.

It is unique initiative which helps improve the speed and efficiency of the world’s largest food security program providing food safety net to 81 Crore beneficiaries.
Reduces fuel consumption, time, and logistics costs, it also provides environmental benefits of lower carbon footprint due to reduced transportation-related emissions.