The first 24-hour grain ATM in India

11 Aug,2024

News Excerpt:

India's first 24/7 grain ATM was inaugurated at Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

The Annapurti Grain ATM was unveiled by Odisha's Minister for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare with the Deputy Country Director of the World Food Programme in India.

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With this initiative, Odisha has become the first state in India to offer 24-hour access to public distribution system (PDS) beneficiaries.
The Minister announced that Annapurti Grain ATMs will be rolled out across all districts in the state.
The ATM will dispense rice or wheat around the clock.

World Food Programme

This initiative is a collaboration between the Odisha government and the World Food Programme, aimed at enhancing nutritional security in the state.

Biometric Authentication

The process of obtaining grain from the machine is straightforward, requiring only the input of an Aadhar or Ration card number and biometric authentication. Once authenticated, beneficiaries will receive their allotted grain.

Benefits of Grain ATMs

The Annapurti system ensures universal access, allowing anyone with a valid PDS ration card, regardless of their State or Union Territory, to obtain their entitled grains.
The machine can dispense up to 50 kilograms of grain in just five minutes, operating around the clock and reducing waiting times by 70 percent.
Introduction of grain ATMs will prevent dealers from delaying the distribution of entitled food grains to PDS beneficiaries.
Its modular design allows for easy assembly in various spaces, and it is energy-efficient, consuming only 0.6 Watts per hour.
The machine can also be connected to solar panels for automatic refilling, offering 24/7 access.

Annapurti Grain ATM

Annapurti Grain ATM is developed by the World Food Programme (WFP). This system operates similarly to a regular banking ATM.
This innovative solution can dispense two types of food grains and takes about 90 seconds to distribute 50 kg of grains.
By automating the distribution process under the Public Distribution System (PDS), it significantly reduces the need for manual labor.
The Grain ATM offers substantial benefits to casual workers, migrant workers, and industrial workers, allowing them to access their food entitlements even after work hours through an automated system.
These units can also be installed within industrial complexes, enabling workers to collect their entitlements directly at their workplace.

Installed ATM

Currently, four Annapurti units have been installed in Gurgaon, Dehradun, Varanasi, and Bhubaneshwar, with six more being set up in Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Shillong, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
All these installations have been provided by WFP on a pro bono basis (for the public good).

World Food Programme (WFP)

The WFP is an organization founded by the United Nations (UN) in 1961 to combat global hunger.
It is headquartered in Rome, Italy.
In 2020, the WFP was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to fight hunger, its role in improving conditions for peace in conflict-affected regions, and its work in preventing the use of hunger as a weapon in war and conflict.
WFP’s Strategic Plan (2022–2025) outlines various strategies through which the organization, in collaboration with partners, can efficiently and effectively save lives and drive positive change.
It reaffirms WFP's dedication to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Zero hunger.

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