GRAIN ATM (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, India's first round-the-clock grain ATM was opened at Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Grain ATM

• About: It is referred to as the Annapurti Grain ATM, designed and developed by the World Food Programme India.
• Objective: to enhance nutritional security in the state by providing 24x7 access to rice and wheat.
• The ATM is designed to address issues in the distribution of  food grains through the Public Distribution System.
• Process: The process to withdraw grains from the ATM is straightforward. Beneficiaries need to input their Aadhar or Ration card number and undergo biometric authentication.

oOnce authenticated, the machine dispenses the entitled grain within five minutes.

Key Features of the New Food ATM

• High Capacity and Accuracy: The World Food Programme in India highlighted that the ATM could dispense up to 50 kilograms of grains with an error rate of just 0.01%.
• Energy Efficiency: It operates on just 0.6 Watts per hour and can be connected to solar panels for automatic refilling.
• Modular Design: The machine's modular design allows for easy assembly and adaptation to various spaces, ensuring consistent 24x7 access.