Guardian Officers– An Initiative by Sikkim for Efficient Management of Food Go-downs and Supply Chain Management System

Introduction of the concept of Guardian Officers by the State of Sikkim has yielded positive results in resolving at the earliest various issues related to food go-downs, e-PDS, ePoS and FEAST.

Sikkim’s topography and infrastructure poses a great challenge for the Public Distribution System (PDS) to function efficiently, especially due to issues arising due to poor internet connectivity, hardware and software problems, power supply, etc. In order to address these challenges, Department of Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has come up with a unique solution —Guardian Officers— to mentor and monitor the go-downs across the State to bring in more efficiency to the system.

Issues and Challenges in Difficult Terrain of Sikkim

1. Poor network connectivity and frequent power failures in food go-downs across Sikkim are major challenges in updating online works. The Department is actively coordinating with network service providers like BSNL, Vodafone, Jio and Airtel for the improvement of network connectivity across the state for smooth transaction of all online activities.
2. Due to shared server space at National Data Centre at National Informatics Centre (NIC), Delhi, the FEAST/supply chain portal is running very slow which is hampering the online works in the Department.
3. The Department has procured inverters for all food go-downs and Food Corporation of India (FCI) offices for smooth functioning with un-interrupted power supply.

Key Objectives of Appointing Guardian Officers

1. The State Food Department and NIC have jointly brain stormed the concept on initiating Guardian Officers to assist the go-down on various challenges like internet, hardware, software, power supply, etc.
2. The Guardian Officers to mentor and monitor the go-down in-charges and staff for smooth functioning of supply chain management system, e-PoS and e-PDS.

Role of Guardian Officers in Efficient Management of Godowns

1. To accelerate the work of Aadhaar and bank seeding with ration card.
2. To ascertain the difficulties in computerisation of supply chain management system.
3. To extend technical support to go-down in-charge (hardware, software, internet connectivity, etc).
4. To work out strategy for cleansing of data/de-duplication.

Role of Guardian Officers in Efficient Management of Godowns

1. To check and monitor proper functioning of e-PoS in all Fair Price Shops.
2. Any other guidance to ensure proper implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA).

Best Practices to Efficiently Manage the Food Go Downs

1. The Guardian Officers are working as a link between the Department, NIC and network providers, system integrators and advocating the need and problems faced by go-down teams for earliest resolutions.
2. The Department and SPMU team are working and coordinating as per reports from Guardian Officers to resolve the software, hardware and network or system integration issues at earliest and ensure the smooth functioning in go-down for supply chain management system.

Supply Chain Management System

1. FCI – RO Truck Challan – Gate Pass
2. Food Godowns – Stock Receipt

• FPS Payments
• Delivery Orders
• Truck Challan and Gate Pass to FPS
• Gain and Loss
• FPS – Lift the PDS Items
• E-PoS Distributions

Role of Guardian Officers in Efficient Management of Supply Chain Management

1. The Guardian Officers are helping in Supply Chain Management by guiding the Go-downs Team.
2. The Food Go-downs are having problem in internet network, power supply and Hardware Software related issues which Guardian Officer are helping and pursuing the issues with right stake holders to resolve it. Guardian Officers are monitoring and mentoring for implementation of Supply Chain Management System.

Guardian Officers – A Mentor for NFSA Implementation

1. An initiative to mentor the Godown Team to accelerate the computerisation of TPDS Operations specially Supply Chain Management System.
2. The Guardian Officer cares about the Food Go-down operations.
3. Guardian Officers are key motivator for smooth functioning.
4. Also the Department has setup a reward system for Best Guardian Officer, Best Food Godown and Best Godown Team.
5. Guardian Officer provides all support to groom the Godown Staff.