Explore Business Standard
Don’t miss the latest developments in business and finance.
Standing in a long queue outside the ration shop to get the monthly ration has become a thing of the past, as the unique Annapurti grain ATM installed here at a fair price shop takes merely 30 seconds to dispense wheat and rice to the ration card holder. The grain ATM was installed in the Jankipuram area of the state capital on March 15, and so far, it has dispensed grains (rice and wheat) to nearly 100-150 ration card holders. Elaborating further about the grain ATM, which gives a real bank ATM-like feeling, Pankaj Giri at whose fair price shop the machine is installed, told PTI, "This grain ATM started on March 15. The government has provided it. Before installing the grain ATM, it took nearly 2-3 minutes to give the foodgrains. "But, now with the grain ATM, this time has come down to 30 seconds. So far, grains have been dispensed to 100-150 ration card holders through the new machine." He added that officials imparted training and the operational mechanism of the machine to him,