Raipur: The system of long queues, fixed timings and human intervention for collecting rations under the Public Distribution System is now gradually moving towards becoming a thing of the past. Chhattisgarh has launched ‘Annapurti Grain ATMs’, connecting foodgrain distribution with technology across the state. Eligible beneficiaries will now be able to collect their prescribed quantity of rice from the machine 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at their convenience, without having to wait for the ration shop to open.
In fact, from the state capital Raipur, Food Minister Dayaldas Baghel digitally inaugurated the state’s first three Annapurti Grain ATMs in Durg, Bilaspur and Raipur. The initiative is now being considered an important step towards making the Public Distribution System more transparent, technology-driven and convenient. With this, Chhattisgarh has become the fifth state in the country to implement the Grain ATM system. Earlier, the Grain ATM system had been introduced in Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Gujarat and Odisha.
No more waiting for shop timings to collect ration
The biggest feature of the Annapurti Grain ATM is its round-the-clock availability. In conventional ration shops, beneficiaries have to depend on fixed timings and the operation of the shop. This can often be difficult for working people, daily-wage labourers and, particularly, women. Standing in a queue for hours to collect ration can also mean taking time off work or losing wages.
The new system directly addresses this problem. The beneficiary will enter their Aadhaar or ration card number on the machine. Their identity and eligibility will then be verified through biometric authentication. Once the verification is complete, the machine will dispense rice according to the quantity prescribed on the ration card. Reduced human intervention throughout the process is expected to make the distribution system more organised and easier to monitor.
Capacity to store up to 2,500 kg of foodgrain
The Annapurti Grain ATM is stated to have a storage capacity of approximately 2,500 kilograms of foodgrain. Rice will be loaded into the machine through an automated system. Following biometric verification of the beneficiary, the prescribed quantity of foodgrain allocated to them will automatically be dispensed by the machine.
The objective of this technology is to reduce human errors during ration distribution. In the traditional system, weighing and distribution of foodgrain involve human processes, whereas the Grain ATM uses digital verification and an automated dispensing system. Machine-based distribution is expected to facilitate the maintenance of a digital record of every transaction and make monitoring of the entire process easier. This could help increase transparency and accountability in the PDS.
Major convenience for migrant workers too
An important feature of the Annapurti Grain ATM is that its benefits will not be limited only to ration cardholders from Chhattisgarh. Under the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ system, ration cardholders from other states will also be able to collect their prescribed foodgrain here through biometric authentication.
This facility is particularly important for migrant workers who come to Chhattisgarh from other states in search of employment. A large number of such families live in industrial and labour-intensive areas, with their livelihoods dependent on working in other cities or states. Under the new system, access to ration will be linked more to a person’s digital ration card and eligibility than to their location. This is expected to further strengthen the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ concept at the grassroots level.
Most useful in labour-intensive areas such as Birgaon
The first Grain ATM has been installed in the Birgaon-Rawabhatha area of the state capital Raipur. This is an industrial and labour-intensive area. A large number of people living here work in factories, mills, shops and other sectors. For such beneficiaries, a 24×7 ration distribution system could prove to be a significant change in terms of time and convenience. Whether it is a worker returning late at night after work or a person leaving early in the morning for work, they will have the option of collecting ration according to their convenience.
Crowds and time will be reduced: Dayaldas Baghel
Food Minister Dayaldas Baghel said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, continuous innovations are being undertaken to make the Public Distribution System modern and centred on public convenience. Through Grain ATMs, beneficiaries will be able to collect ration at their convenience. This will save their time and reduce crowds and long queues at fair price shops.
He said that a technology-based system would further strengthen transparency, security and reliability in the PDS. According to the minister, the government’s objective is to develop a system in which poor and needy families do not face unnecessary difficulties in obtaining ration. Nozomi Hashimoto, representative of the World Food Programme, also congratulated the state government on the initiative and described it as an important step towards the use of technology in the field of food security.
Focus on reducing human intervention
One of the key objectives of using technology in the PDS is to minimise human intervention in the distribution process. In the Grain ATM, the beneficiary’s identity is established digitally and, after verification, the machine itself provides the prescribed quantity of foodgrain. This system can make processes related to weighing, distribution and record-keeping of ration more standardised. At the same time, monitoring transactions will become easier through the digital system.
Pilot begins with three centres
For the time being, the three Grain ATMs launched in Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur are being viewed as a pilot system in the initial phase. Based on the experience gained from operating these centres, possibilities for expanding the model will be explored in the future. During the pilot phase, assessment of aspects such as machine performance, server connectivity, biometric authentication, availability of foodgrain and convenience for beneficiaries will be important. If the system delivers the expected results, it may also be expanded to other areas.
