A Command Control Centre equipped with a video wall was established at the Civil Supplies Department headquarters here on Tuesday, for monitoring the supply chain system against diversion of essential commodities.
Minister Eatala Rajender launched the centre from where a tab can be kept on the movement of vehicles transporting essential commodities at various stages of the supply chain.
The video wall, 210 inches wide and 72 inches long, displays the vehicles through GPS on a pre-mapped network of highways usually traversed by the Civil Supplies vehicles.
Civil Supplies Commissioner C.V. Anand informed that a total of 1,383 vehicles were involved in transporting the commodities in two stages, namely from buffer godowns to MLS (Multi Level Supply) godowns, and then from MLS godowns to the fair price shops. These apart, there are 45 kerosene tankers too which will be monitored.
To track 18,000 km
Representative of the Trans Global Geomatics, the third party developer of the system, explained that the department had given details of 18,000 kilometres of fixed road length traversed by the vehicles. Whenever a vehicle deviates from the set path, an SMS alert will be issued to the district managers and command centre too.
A geo-fencing has been created to demarcate the State borders so that any vehicle that crosses the border without permission can be identified and action can be taken. It is possible to trace 30 days’ travel history of each vehicle, for a review.
Besides, idle alerts will be issued whenever a vehicle takes more than an hour’s break on the way.
Mr. Anand said similar video walls will soon be established at the district level, in the Collector’s office.
Equipped with CCTV Cameras
Also to be monitored from the Command Control Centre are the nine MLS godowns equipped with a total of 64 CC cameras. The internet protocol cameras with IR night vision recording are connected to the local servers in godowns with memory for 30 days’ record, officials informed. Installing CC cameras at all the 171 MLS points will require ₹ 20 crore, for allocation of which a request has been placed with the Government, Mr. Anand said, detailing the reforms undertaken by the department.
Mr. Rajender said that the department had taken rapid strides in increasing accountability for the last two and a half years, which was a great improvement from its previous notoriety as the haven of corruption.
Appeal to surrender
He used the occasion to appeal to the public to surrender the BPL cards if not consuming the PDS rice, as the Government is spending huge amounts on the scheme.
Chief Secretary S.P. Singh said that the Civil Supplies Department now has the additional responsibility of ensuring protection of farmers’ interests, after the Centre has stopped levying rice. Technological applications are useful for ensuring fair and transparent services, he said.
