Shillong, May 2: A review meeting held at the headquarter of the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) India in New Delhi on Tuesday assessed various technology-driven initiatives undertaken as per the MoU between Meghalaya government and the United Nations World Food Programme India.
The initiatives that were reviewed including 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 optimization and tracking of movement of food grains across the State to prevent diversion of food grains, mainstream data analytics in PDS monitoring system for data-driven decision making, alternate storage mechanism to minimize storage loss and prepare strategic plan for Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs department of Meghalaya for the next 5 years, according to a Press release.
The meeting was chaired by Meghalaya’s Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Comingone Ymbon, and was attended by Pravin Bakshi Commissioner & Secretary of Meghalaya, Shai Kupar War, Officer on Special Duty with Mrs 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.
United Nations World Food Programme has developed a tracking system for the State to monitor the movement of food grain in real time. It conducted IEC campaign on ONORC developed posters which help migrant workers to lift ration from any FPS located across the State and Country.
The Food Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs Department 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.
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.