SHILLONG, March 2: Meghalaya on Wednesday partnered with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), India, with the objective to improve Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in the state. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Minister of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, James PK Sangma, on behalf of the Meghalaya government, and officials of the WFP, India, at the New Delhi office of WFP.
With this, Meghalaya has become the first state in the Northeastern region to take up such an initiative with the WFP, according to a statement issued here on Wednesday.
The partnership will entail initiatives such as end-to-end computerization of TPDS with special focus on use of technology to improve implementation of Point-of-Sale (PoS) devices and beneficiary authentication; supply chain optimisation of the entire TPDS, usage of mobile storage units to reduce storage losses and a mobile app for data collection.
“This partnership will open bountiful opportunities for the state to grow forward. The Government of Meghalaya is committed to creating food security in the State. Our efforts towards the achievement of India’s targets under Sustainable Development Goal 2 will be strengthened with the assistance provided by the World Food Programme and transfer and exchange of knowledge, skills, and expertise to strengthen the existing systems”, said James.
This partnership between the WFP and the state government is part of a wider MoU signed last year.
Other additional support that the WFP will provide the Government of Meghalaya include a framework for evaluating Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme of Fortification of Rice and its distribution under Public Distribution System, mechanism to stop illegal diversion of NFSA food grains during transportation and distribution at fair price shops, and technical expertise to augment the work being done at the government level, which will help the state improve its sustainability aspects.
