HOW WE DO?
PSWC’s warehouses are equipped with top-of-the-line communication facilities to enable real time visibility and data availability.
A team of experienced, well trained, qualified professional staff handles and manages operations at each warehouse, which is further controlled from PSWC’s centralized Office in Chandigarh through continuous audits and inspections.
Currently, connectivity of PSWC’s warehouses through advanced technology enables to meet critical requirements like online data dissemination and provision of periodical MIS.
In a country like India where post harvest losses are pegged at 10%, PSWC has been instrumental in devising technology-driven storage systems that has made significant efforts to cut post harvest losses irrespective of infrastructure, crop or geographic location in the State.
PSWC has constantly brought best practices to upgrade the processes in warehousing domain. PSWC has devised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which amalgamates technology with Agriculture domain expertise & allows the Corporation to operate any warehouse agnostic of infrastructure, location, weather pattern across any kind of agriculture crop.
PSWC has implemented best practices in operations to keep client's commodities intact. Some of these are listed below:
- ERP system to manage multi-location operations
- Daily report from all warehouses for inward/outward
- SIM based wireless cameras installed at warehouses
- SIM based Biometric attendance systems
- Hand-held devices which transmit data to central server
PSWC is also accredited by Warehousing Development & Regulatory Authority (WDRA).
Risk Mitigation
The steps were initiated to automate the entire supply for an error free system & processes. SOPs were clearly defined in each & every process for implementation in the entire value chain to achieve accurate and timely information to attain operational efficiency.
Risk Mitigation Strategy is clearly defined & strictly adhered at each level. Any deviation from the process is addressed immediately without any fail.
RISK MITIGATION INITIATIVES:
- MIS Implementation integrated with Internal Audits.
- Field inspectors equipped with tech-enabled devices for real time reporting and information flow.
- Hand-held devices launched at most of the locations to track the record of the data inventory and communicate the same to all stakeholders on real-time basis.
- Automated the inward & outward method of warehouse data management.
- Integrated the crop report for quality control in each warehouse and seal record for internal audits.
This has helped PSWC in achieving the following:
- Scalability: The initiatives enabled PSWC to start its operations in any warehouse irrespective of infrastructure and the crop.
- Improved Reporting: Reporting followed an automated template system that allowed various departments to access information seamlessly.
- Data Quality: It is the biggest challenge of the sector that the available data is inaccurate and incomplete. With technological innovations, PSWC had access to real-time and accurate data to control quantity and quality of agri-commodities. It enabled PSWC to reduce post harvest losses of the agri produce in the entire supply chain.
- Better Supply Chain: The control over post harvest losses was achieved through the available real time information about moisture content, fumigation requirement, Aeration check of the crop stored. Such operational excellence has not been derived by any other player in the sector.
- Operational Excellency & Reduced Complexity: With these solutions, the PSWC was able to minimize / remove errors from the entire value chain as it was automated. The chances of error became minimal & made the entire workforce more efficient.
COMMODITY WAREHOUSING AND LOGISTICS
PSWC has defined, implemented Warehouse Management Systems and Scientific processes to offer space for storage of the commodities pertaining to State/Central Govt. on terms of warehousing as agreed upon through an agreement between PSWC and User. Such owned or leased warehouses are accredited by the State/Central Government.
PSWC provides a package of services that includes stock management and deployment of manpower for managing the customer’s commodities at its warehouse. At PSWC, a mammoth 52 LMTs (Approx.) of grains are warehoused with proper storage and upkeep, protection from bad weather and rodents, besides natural decay and weather effects which is essential for the development and growth of the agricultural industry.
Scientific Preservation
PSWC has an extensive and scientific stock preservation system. The produce is protected against quantitative and qualitative losses by the use of such methods of preservation as are necessary. An on-going program sees that both prophylactic and curative treatment is done timely and adequately. Representative samples of the stocks are drawn on fortnightly basis for physical analysis to ensure whether the quality standard meets the parameters as laid down by Government of India during storage period. Food Grain samples are also referred to NABL accredited laboratories and get tested for its conformity of parameter under FSSAI Act also.
Periodical Inspection
Constant and effective inspection and treatment of food grains in storage ensures that the stocks are kept in good condition. New methods for the preservation of stocks have been developed by the technical experts of the Corporation. In order to closely monitor the health of the stocks and over see the overall operations of a district, PSWC has a well established internal system of periodical inspection by senior officers of the Corporation working in HQs. In addition to this norms have been prescribed for carrying out inspection by all the field functionaries.
Quality Policy
Punjab State Warehousing Corporation is committed to provide credible, customer focused services, for efficient and effective food security management in the Punjab. Our main focus is on:
- Professional excellence in food grain management
- Excellent Quality Service to the best satisfaction of stake holders
- Transparency and accountability in transactions
- Best and Optimum utilization of available resources
- Continual improvement of systems, processes and resources
Project 5 Zero
Action plan under for “project 5 zero” ensuring zero infestation and to zero down the unjustified storage losses in rice and lesser storage gain in wheat already stored in warehouses. The 5 main factors were identified which are badly destabilizing the financial status of PSWC.
- Unjustified Storage Losses
- Lesser Gain
- Damaged grain
- Infestation
- Upgradation
The Idea of this Project came to mind
- If the level of each of Attributes is brought to Zero, we can increase the working efficiency of the Organization to many folds, hence the following targets:
- ZERO %age of Unjustified Storage Losses
- ZERO %age Lesser Gain
- ZERO Damaged grain
- ZERO Infestation
- ZERO Upgradation
Losses (in Cr)