Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi Visits Exhibition on AI-Driven Transformation of Public Distribution System at India-AI Impact Summit 2026
Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi Visits Exhibition on AI-Driven Transformation of Public Distribution System at India-AI Impact Summit 2026
Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Pralhad Joshi visited the exhibition pavilion showcasing AI-enabled and digital innovations transforming India’s Public Distribution System (PDS) at the India-AI Impact Summit and Expo 2026 being held at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
The exhibition pavilion titled “AI-Empowered Innovations for Public Distribution” has been jointly organised by the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP).
Shri Pralhad Joshi Highlights Technology-Driven, Leak-Proof PDS
Addressing the Summit, Shri Pralhad Joshi stated that India is distributing free foodgrains to more than 80 crore beneficiaries under the Prime Minister’s Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana — an initiative unmatched in scale globally. He emphasised that the Government’s commitment is to ensure that every grain procured reaches the intended beneficiaries efficiently and transparently.
The Union Minister noted that technology-driven reforms have significantly reduced leakages and improved accountability in the Public Distribution System, making it more efficient and citizen-centric.
₹250 Crore Saved Through Anna Chakra- Supply Chain Optimisation
Highlighting the impact of technological interventions, Shri Joshi said that initiatives such as Smart Warehousing, Smart PDS, Anna Darpan, Anna Chakra and ASHA are strengthening transparency and operational efficiency across the foodgrain supply chain.
He informed that Anna Chakra, a Supply Chain optimisation for foodgrain transportation, has resulted in savings of nearly ₹250 crore of public funds by analysing demand, stock availability and logistics routes, thereby reducing costs, transit time and improving supply-chain resilience.
The Minister further stated that the AI-enabled grievance redressal platform ASHA (Anna Sahayata Holistic Solution) contacts nearly 20 lakh beneficiaries every month to collect feedback, which is subsequently forwarded to district administrations for timely resolution of complaints.
Key Highlights of the Exhibition
SMART PDS
A unified national digital backbone integrating ration card management, procurement, allocation, storage, transportation, fair price shop operations, biometric authentication and grievance redressal. Real-time analytics dashboards support data-driven decision-making at Central and State levels.
Anna Chakra
An AI-based movement planning system optimising foodgrain transportation by analysing demand, stock availability and logistics routes, thereby reducing costs, transit time and improving supply-chain resilience.
Depot Darpan
A smart warehousing monitoring platform ensuring improved infrastructure management, hygiene standards and storage safety through technology-enabled inspections and oversight.
Automatic Grain Analysers
Digital quality-testing systems enhancing transparency, speed and objectivity in procurement operations, thereby strengthening farmer confidence.
Citizen-Centric Digital Platforms
ASHA (Anna Sahayata Holistic Solution): Multilingual grievance redressal and citizen feedback system.
SCAN: Intelligent document processing platform enabling faster and transparent subsidy claim settlement.
Annapurti Grain ATMs: Automated dispensing machines ensuring accurate and dignified foodgrain distribution through biometric authentication.
Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Shri Sanjiv Chopra; Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, World Food Programme, Mr Carl Skau; and Country Director and Representative, WFP India, Ms Elizabeth Faure were present on the occasion.
These initiatives reflect India’s commitment to leveraging Artificial Intelligence and digital technologies to strengthen the national food security architecture and enhance citizen-centric public service delivery at scale.