News Excerpt:
The Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) under the commerce ministry has launched the pilot on ONDC in Himachal Pradesh.
More about the News:
- The Centre has included 11 fair price shops on the state-run e-commerce portal Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC), to foster a more inclusive e-commerce ecosystem.
Significance of the Pilot project:
- The pilot enables consumers in remote locations to access groceries and other essential products through ONDC, while also helping fair price shops to increase their utilisation and revenue from market goods.
- Now household groceries available on usual kirana stores can be made available through fair price shops on ONDC.
- Buyers can purchase these products through ONDC buyer apps like Paytm.
- The DFPD is funding the programme as a pilot with the help of MicroSave, which provides hand-holding support to fair price shops, and nStore as the technology partner.
- Initially, five fair price shops in Una district and six in Hamirpur have been incorporated under the pilot project on the ONDC portal.
About the Fair Price shops:
- These fair-price shops are open to all except beneficiaries of different food security schemes.
- These shops also distribute subsidized food grains to individuals below and above the poverty line.
- Fair price shops are run by the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation (NCCF) across India.
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About ONDC:
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Conclusion:
The DFPD's pilot project in Himachal Pradesh, integrating fair price shops into ONDC, showcases a proactive effort to promote digital commerce inclusivity. Collaborating with companies like MicroSave and nStore, it sets a precedent for expanding accessibility and fostering economic empowerment through innovative technology solutions.
