Odisha’s first Grain ATM for distribution of rice was thrown upon to the public on Thursday.

With this, Odisha has become one of the states in India to provide 24/7 access to the public distribution system beneficiaries with the launch of a standalone grain dispensing solution, Annapurti Grain ATM.

Using their ration card numbers on the display monitor with touchscreen and machines, people can now get the ration to which they are entitled.

Unveiling the ATM here, minister, food supplies and consumer welfare, Krushna Chandra Patra said: “This is a significant initiative in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) to achieve nutritional security in the state, which is focused on food security.

“The ATMs will be set up across the state to provide food grains to beneficiaries with 24/7 access under the National Food Security Act.”

Nozomi Hashimoto, deputy country director, WFP in India was present on the occasion. WFP and Odisha have been partners for six decades. The state has been a pioneer in ensuring food security and fostering innovations that allow citizens, especially marginalised sections, to access their entitlements.

“Odisha presents a success story with global relevance. We are humbled to see the Annapurti solution, a made-in-India globally awarded solution operational in
many states, evolving to add more functionalities and features based on a year-long pilot and testing,” said Hashimoto.

The Annapurti inaugurated on Thursday has several additional features. It is the first standalone solution, providing service 24 hours a day, much like a banking ATM. With universal access, anyone with a PDS ration card valid in India, regardless of the state and Union Territory, beneficiaries can access their entitlement.

Annapurti can dispense grain up to 50 kilograms in five minutes, with an error rate of 0.01 per cent. Once biometric authentication is completed, it provides consistent access to the full food ration. The modular design allows easy assembly based on available space.

Annapurti is energy efficient, consuming only 0.6 Watts per hour and can be connected to solar panels for automatic refilling. Units enable 24/7 access, reducing waiting time by 70 per cent.

After the ration card holders touch the screen and enter their ration card number, the machines will dispense rice after biometric authentication. The rice is collected in a gunny bag attached to the two metric-tonne capacity machines.

In case the beneficiary faces any difficulties, he or she may call the helpline number. The beneficiary will get the help within two days of registering the complaint.