India’s first ‘Grain ATM’ set up in Gurugram
After the successful completion of the pilot project at Farrukhnagar in Gurugram, the Haryana government plans to install these machines at its depots across the state.
Published: 15th July 2021 07:43 AM | Last Updated: 15th July 2021 07:43 AM | A+A A-
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CHANDIGARH: Consumers in Gurugram will no longer have to stand in long queues, nor worry about the shopkeeper giving less ration, as India’s first ‘Grain ATM’ has been set up in the district as a pilot project.
Haryana’s Deputy Chief Minister, Dushyant Chautala, who also holds the portfolio of Food and Civil Supplies Department, said with the installation of Grain ATMs, all the complaints regarding waiting time and right measurement of ration quantity will be redressed. “The purpose of installing this machine is to ensure that the right quantity should reach the right beneficiary with minimum hassle,” he said.
After the successful completion of the pilot project at Farrukhnagar in Gurugram, the Haryana government plans to install these machines at its depots across the state. Chautala said this would not only benefit the consumers but would also end the hassle regarding shortage of foodgrains at government depots and would bring greater transparency in the public distribution system. Moreover, the Grain ATMS would prove helpful in distributing foodgrains to the government depot operators and would also save their time as well, he said.
70 kg grain in 7 minutes
It is an automatic machine which works like a bank ATM. Installed under the World Food Programme of the United Nations, it is called Automated, Multi Commodity, Grain Dispensing Machine. It can dispense up to 70 kg of grains within five to seven minutes at a time. Ankit Sood, an officer associated with this programme, says that error in the measurement of grain is negligible.
This automatic machine is equipped with biometric system with a touch screen, where the beneficiary will have to enter the Aadhaar card or ration card number. On biometric authentication, the foodgrains prescribed by the government to the beneficiaries will be automatically filled in the bags placed under the machine. Three types of foodgrains — wheat, rice and millet — can be distributed through this machine. At present, distribution of wheat has started from the Grain ATM machine installed in Farrukhnagar (Gurugram).
