Description

The NCCF SupplyChain Portal is a government-backed logistics and distribution management system designed and developed for the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) — an apex-level cooperative body under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. The platform facilitates real-time vehicle tracking, supply chain management, and digital documentation for the distribution of essential goods, food grains, and public welfare items under various government subsidy programs.

My role was as a Full Stack Developer, where I was responsible for designing and building both the Flutter-based Android application and the Laravel (PHP)-based web portal, along with REST API development, admin dashboard, database architecture, and third-party integrations.

Project Objectives:

The core objectives of the NCCF SupplyChain Portal included:

• Digitizing the supply and delivery chain for government-distributed goods.
• Enabling real-time GPS-based vehicle tracking and route monitoring.
• Creating a transparent system of documentation for dispatches, deliveries, and inventory updates.
• Replacing paperwork with digital challans, invoices, and geo-tagged proof of delivery.
• Providing centralized monitoring to district, zonal, and national-level coordinators.
• Generating automatic alerts and reports to avoid delays, fraud, or diversions.

Key Features:

1. Vehicle Tracking System (Real-Time GPS):

• Integration of GPS tracking via mobile device sensors and dedicated trackers.
• Map-based interface to view live vehicle location, speed, and movement.
• Start-to-end trip lifecycle tracking with geo-fencing.
• Alerts for route deviation, long stops, or off-track movement.

2. Trip & Dispatch Management:

• Admin panel to assign vehicles and drivers to specific dispatch orders.
• Trip initiation with start time, origin point, route details, and expected delivery window.
• Proof of departure with gate-out QR scan or timestamp.
• Digital challans and delivery instructions attached to each trip.

3. Delivery Confirmation & POD (Proof of Delivery):

• Flutter-based app used by delivery personnel to:
  • Scan QR at delivery point.
  • Upload recipient’s signature/photo.
  • Capture timestamp and location automatically.
• Real-time sync of POD with backend to mark order as completed.

4. Inventory & Order Management:

• Role-based dashboards for NCCF depot staff to:
  • Create supply orders from central warehouse to districts/zones.
  • Manage item-wise inventory (wheat, pulses, rice, oil, sugar, etc.).
  • Monitor dispatched vs. received stock quantities.

5. Vendor & Transporter Module:

• Transport vendors onboarded through unique IDs.
• Driver registration with KYC, driving license, and vehicle details.
• Rating system for performance review based on timely delivery.

6. User Roles & Workflow:

• National Admin: Full access to all zones and reports.
• Zonal Officer: Monitor regional movements and trip updates.
• Depot Manager: Manage stock, dispatch orders, and verify deliveries.
• Driver/Delivery Staff: App access with restricted functionality.

7. Geo-Fencing & Alert System:

• Automatic alerts sent if vehicle deviates from assigned route.
• Speed limit breaches logged for safety audit.
• Missed delivery window alerts for escalation.

8. Reports & Analytics Dashboard:

• Interactive dashboards with:
  • Number of deliveries completed on-time vs delayed.
  • Vehicle utilization rate and idle time.
  • Daily, weekly, and monthly stock movement charts.
• Export to PDF/Excel for government audits.

9. Offline Mode & Auto Sync:

• Flutter app built with offline-first capability using local SQLite storage.
• Auto-sync of delivery and location data once network is available.
• Ensures zero data loss in rural areas with poor connectivity.

10. Security & Data Integrity:

• Encrypted API calls with access token validation.
• OTP-based login for drivers.
• Database access and actions audited with timestamps and IP logging.

Technologies Used:

• Frontend (Web): Laravel Blade, HTML5, CSS3, jQuery
• Frontend (Mobile): Flutter (Dart), Android/iOS compatible
• Backend: Laravel (PHP) with REST API architecture
• Database: MySQL
• Map Integration: Google Maps API
• Authentication: OTP-based login for app, Laravel Auth for web
• Deployment: Apache2 on Ubuntu VPS, hosted on NIC/Govt-approved server
• Reporting Tools: Laravel Excel, PDF Generator, Chart.js

Challenges & Solutions:

Challenge 1: Route deviation and non-traceable vehicles

Solution: Implemented strict geo-fencing and real-time deviation alerts. Also included driver re-authentication at check-points.

Challenge 2: Unreliable mobile network in remote regions

Solution: Built offline-first Flutter mobile app which queues actions locally and syncs automatically when online.

Challenge 3: Manual data entry leading to errors in dispatch

Solution: Integrated barcode scanning and QR codes for automated entry of challans and items at each node.

Challenge 4: Delays in trip completion updates

Solution: Introduced proof-of-delivery system with photo and signature capture, synced in real-time to backend.

Outcome & Impact:

• Over 20+ depots and 300+ delivery vehicles onboarded successfully.
• Real-time vehicle tracking helped reduce delivery delays by 40%.
• Missing/delayed trip reports decreased by 60% due to automated alerts.
• Paperwork and fraud reduced drastically as all data moved to digital mode.
• Centralized dashboard helped zonal officers take faster decisions and corrective actions.
• Feedback from drivers and depot staff was positive due to simplified UI/UX and multilingual app support.

Conclusion:

The NCCF SupplyChain Portal has transformed the way government-distributed goods are handled — from central warehouse to last-mile delivery. With real-time GPS tracking, digital proof-of-delivery, automated alerts, and centralized reporting, the system enhanced operational efficiency, transparency, and accountability within the public distribution framework.

Its modular design now allows the platform to be extended for other cooperatives, agriculture departments, and state food corporations. Future enhancements include AI-based route optimization, RFID-based stock tracking, and integration with SAP-based finance systems.