Dhenkanal, Aug 31: Odisha has opened its third Grain ATM (Rice ATM) in Dhenkanal, providing beneficiaries access to their entitled rice without having to wait in long queues at fair price shops.
The third Grain ATM was inaugurated in Dhenkanal by Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Sunday. The facility aims to provide beneficiaries with 24-hour access to their foodgrain entitlement through a biometric authentication system.
Under the system, beneficiaries can collect their allotted rice by providing their fingerprint and completing Aadhaar authentication. Once the biometric verification is completed, the machine will dispense the beneficiary's entitled quantity of rice.
The state government plans to expand the Grain ATM facility to other districts in a phased manner. Keonjhar and other districts are expected to be covered as part of the expansion plan.
The initiative is aimed at making the public distribution system more convenient, transparent and accessible, particularly for beneficiaries who often have to spend considerable time waiting at retail outlets.
The Grain ATM in Dhenkanal will be jointly managed by the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. and the Dhenkanal district administration.
Speaking at the inauguration, Minister Krushna Chandra Patra urged the people of Dhenkanal to make use of the new facility and highlighted the government's focus on providing hassle-free services to beneficiaries.
Dhenkanal Municipal Chairperson Jayanti Patra, Collector Ashish Ishwar Patil, Municipal Executive Officer Ashwini Kumar Das, Supply Officer Ramachandra Tudu, along with other departmental officials and employees, were present at the event.
Beneficiaries present at the inauguration expressed happiness over the introduction of the Grain ATM, saying the facility could make the process of collecting their monthly rice entitlement faster and more convenient.
