Odisha to open ATGs for foodgrain distribution

Odisha will soon have All Time Grain ATG dispensing machines to provide foodgrains to beneficiaries under the public distribution system.This was stated by Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu S Nayak here on Wednesday.

Odisha will soon have All Time Grain (ATG) dispensing machines to provide food grains to beneficiaries under the public distribution system.

This was stated by Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu S Nayak here on Wednesday. He said the ATG will be similar to ATM machines but will dispense foodgrains and will be introduced in the urban areas of the state in the preliminary phase. The service will be available in Bhubaneswar initially, the minister said.

He said the beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act and the State Food Security Scheme will be provided with a special card to avail the service. The state government has been chalking out a plan in this regard, he said, adding that the 'ATG' kiosks will be opened in different places of Bhubaneswar city.

In a related development, the Odisha government has decided to provide agricultural loan up to Rs 1 lakh to small and marginal farmers without any interest. Earlier, the same category of farmers was getting interest-free loans up to Rs 50,000, the minister said.

This apart, the government has also decided to charge only 2 percent interest on agriculture loans between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, he said, adding that as many as 32 lakh small and marginal farmers will get the benefit.