Shillong, Nov 19 (PTI) In a first in the northeast region, the Meghalaya government has signed an MoU with the United Nations World Food Programme to streamline and strengthen the public distribution system in the state, an official said.
The partnership will help the WFP authorities and the state government work together towards Sustainable Development Goal two – Zero Hunger.
The MoU was signed at a programme organised by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs Department as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava .
The agreement was signed here on Thursday between state Food and Civil Supplies Secretary Dr P Shakil Ahammed and Eric Kenefick, Deputy Country Director, WFP in India.
As part of the partnership, the WFP and the department will undertake supply chain optimisation of the entire targeted public distribution system in the state, and introduce innovative solutions and technologies, the official said.
The government also signed another agreement with Common Service Centre to improve the PDS system, he said.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister James PK Sangma, who was present at the event, termed the MoUs as a landmark achievement which will go a long way for food security in the state.
Meghalaya is the first state in the northeast region to have entered into an agreement with the UN-World Food Programme for strengthening the supply chain management, creating an automatic system and ensuring transparency, Ahammed said.
The synergy with the government, World Food Programme and CSC will immensely help PDS beneficiaries across the state through better services which will bring transparency and accountability, he said.
The minister also said the state government had recently initiated the formation of Commission for Consumer Dispute and Grievances Redressal that will help people resolve social issues, especially with their entitled benefits from the state.
In line with the Digital India Mission, the Food and Civil Supplies Department had implemented the FPS Automated Project by installing electronic point of sale devices in over 4,500 fair price shops across the state and this has helped bring transparency and efficiency to the PDS system and enhanced food security, the official said.
Ahammed said India has the largest food security system in the world, which proved its efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 79 per cent of households, particularly in rural areas, depend on fair price shops, he said.