Ericsson to support WFP in Odisha

Ericsson on Thursday announced support to the World Food Programme (WFP) Trust for India for developing customised Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) solutions in Odisha.

The ICT solution will help in making the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) more efficient, accountable and transparent.

"This association with the WFP is in line with the Government's plan of having a robust ICT solution to manage the TPDS for achieving food security. The partnership has been designed to address critical issues like efficient utilisation of resources including access to food and reduced food wastage. It will enhance farmers' access to government's system for selling their produce while enabling more transparency and better governance. This project will benefit nearly 30 million people across 6200 Gram-Panchayats in Odisha," said Amitabh Ray, Head of Ericsson Global Services Center in India.

The project will train officials at the state, district and block levels, along with representatives from Gram Panchayats. Social Audit and Vigilance committees would be trained on how to use the solution and monitor the TPDS in the whole state.

"Ericsson's support will contribute towards building efficiencies in the TPDS to not only convenience beneficiaries, but also make it easier for governments and policymakers to provide oversight and accountability that is backed by technology and real-time data," said WFP Country Director India, Dr Hameed Nuru.

He further said that stakeholders should collaborate and utilise their expertise towards food and nutrition security to achieve SDG to end hunger achieve food security and improve nutrition.

The Department of Food and Public Distribution has implemented a plan for end-to-end computerisation of TPDS. Digitisation of the beneficiary database, online allocations of food-grains is few of its components.

The TPDS scheme is operated jointly by central and state governments, and includes issuance of ration cards, and monitoring fair price shops.

Improving efficiencies in food-based safety nets for nearly 30 million food insecure people in Odisha who are the beneficiaries of this project is the main aim of the partnership.

TPDS scheme involves procurement, allocation, and transportation of food-grains as well as distribution amongst eligible beneficiaries.