SHILLONG:
Minister in-charge of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Meghalaya, Comingone Ymbon, chaired a review meeting at the headquarters of the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme India in New Delhi on May 2 to access technology-driven initiatives undertaken as per the Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and the UN for future technological application in food industry.
The meeting assessed technology-driven initiatives such as introducing Grain ATM (Annapurti) in the state, improving Aadhaar seeding, usage of electronic Point-of-Sale (e-POS) to ensure transparency and accountability, capturing all FPS GPS coordinates for route optimisation and tracking of movement of food grains across the state to prevent diversion of food grains, main stream data analytics in PDS monitoring system for data-driven decision making, alternate storage mechanism to minimize storage loss and prepare strategic plan & way forward for Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs in the next 5 year
Notably, the United Nations World Food Programme has developed a tracking system for the State to monitor the movement of food grain in real time. Conducted IEC Campaign on ONORC developed posters which help migrant workers to lift ration from any FPS located across the State & Country.
The Food Civil Supplies & Consumers Affairs and United Nations World Food Programme India have conducted IEC Campaigns on Grievance Redressal for building awareness among the people on the feedback/complaint mechanism. Going forward, a Strategic comprehensive plan will be developed for the next five years with a special focus on enhancing nutrition security and making the Public Distribution System robust and transparent.
The meeting was attended by Pravin Bakshi, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary, Consumer Affairs Department Government of Meghalaya, Shai Kupar War, officer on special Duty with Elisabeth Faure, Country Director, India and Eric Kenefick, Deputy Director, and Ankit Sood, Unit Head of Social Protection and Supply chain of United Nations World Food Programme India.