Odisha Launches India’s First Grain ATM

Odisha has become the first state to introduce a 24/7 grain dispensing solution. The Annapurti Grain ATM was launched at Mancheswar on Thursday.

Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra unveiled the Annapurti Grain ATM alongside Nozomi Hashimoto, Deputy Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) in India.

“This is a significant initiative in partnership with the World Food Programme 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,” Patra said at the launch.

The WFP and the Odisha government have collaborated for six decades. Dignitaries noted that Odisha is a leader in food security and innovation, helping marginalized communities access their entitlements.

Also Read: Bangladesh Crisis: Increased Marine Border Patrols in Bengal’s Sunderbans

“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 ATM is the first standalone solution providing 24/7 service, similar to a banking ATM. It allows any PDS ration cardholder in India to access their entitlement.

The ATM can dispense up to 50 kg of grain in five minutes with a 0.01 percent error rate. “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 percent,” stated sources from the FSCW department.