India's first 24/7 'Grain ATM,' called 'Annapurti,' will be set up across Odisha to provide food grains to beneficiaries with 24/7 access under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
- NFSA entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains.
About Annapurti
- It is a Made-in-India product (designed and developed by WFP India)
- It dispenses the type and quantity of the selected grain (wheat, rice or millet) to each beneficiary, after biometric authentication.
- It can provide universal access to food grains and reduce the waiting time by 70%.
- It is energy efficient and can be connected to solar panels for automatic refilling.
- At the 2022 WFP Innovation Awards, it was recognized as one of the WFP’s top 5 innovative solutions for disrupting hunger.
About UN World Food Programme (WFP)
- Established in 1961 by the United Nations to help alleviate world hunger.
- world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and providing food assistance.
- WFP is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.
