About Anna DARPAN, a Digital Project: UPSC Current Affairs

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Picture Courtesy: https://krishijagran.com/news/fci-launches-digital-transformation-with-new-anna-darpan-supply-chain-system/

Context:

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has selected Coforge Limited to lead a digital transformation project called Anna DARPAN.

About Anna DARPAN

It is a new system designed to simplify and boost Food Corporation of India (FCI) operations at different levels to enhance productivity and efficiency by creating an interactive and user-friendly interface.

Key Features

The system will use data analytics to help FCI in making better strategic and operational decisions. The FCI can analyze data trends and patterns for making smarter choices about food distribution and storage.
Anna DARPAN will connect with both internal and external systems to allows for smoother communication and data sharing, ensuring that everyone involved in the supply chain is on the same page.
The project will focus on a mobile-first approach. This means that the system will be designed to be used on smartphones and tablets, making it accessible anytime and anywhere. Farmers, suppliers, and employees can check information and manage tasks anytime.

Coforge's Role

Coforge will handle everything from designing to developing, implementing, and maintaining the Anna DARPAN system. The team at Coforge will use the latest technology to build a cloud-based platform for the system.

About Food Corporation of India (FCI)

It was established in 1965, as a statutory body under the Food Corporation Act 1964.
It works under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
It buys food grains like wheat and rice from farmers at Minimum Support Prices (MSPs), these prices are set by the government every year. FCI stores them in its own warehouses or hired silos. It keeps enough grains to meet monthly demands and to handle emergencies, such as natural disasters.
It distributes grains to state governments or their agencies at Central Issue Prices (CIPs), which are lower than market prices. This makes it easier for people, especially the poor, to access food grains through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and other welfare programs.

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FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA (FCI)

Source:

THE PRINT

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements regarding Minimum Support Price (MSP):

1. MSP is fixed based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

2. MSP is announced at the beginning of the harvesting season.

3. The main objective of MSP is to protect farmers from distress sales during bumper production.

How many of the above statements are correct?

A) Only one

B) Only two

C) All three

D) None

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct:

The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) studies the costs incurred by farmers in producing crops to recommend a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various crops based on these costs. The government then announces the MSP for these crops.

Statement 2 is incorrect:

The MSP is announced before the sowing or planting season. This allows farmers to plan their crops and investments based on the guaranteed price they will receive for their produce.

Statement 3 is correct:

One of the primary objectives of MSP is to protect farmers from selling their crops at low prices during times of bumper production. When there is a surplus of a particular crop, the market price may fall below the cost of production. MSP ensures that farmers can sell their produce to the government at a predetermined price, preventing them from incurring losses.