Govt lists fair price shops on ONDC
- Currently in the pilot stage, these fair-price shops are open to all except beneficiaries of different food security schemes
In a first, the Centre has onboarded 11 fair price shops on the state-run e-commerce portal Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC), to extend consumer access to food items offered at government-supported shops and to foster a more inclusive e-commerce ecosystem.
Currently in the pilot stage, these fair-price shops are open to all except beneficiaries of different food security schemes. These shops also distribute subsidized food grains to individuals below and above the poverty line.
Fair price shops are run by the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation (NCCF) across India. Initially, five fair price shops in Una district and six in Hamirpur have been onboarded on ONDC, the consumer affairs ministry said on Wednesday.
Sanjeev Chopra, secretary, department of food and public distribution, said the success of the pilot programme in Himachal Pradesh is expected to pave the way for its expansion throughout the state and eventually nationwide.
According to a senior ONDC official, the success of the pilot project will be replicated in other states. "We are in talks with several states, and we anticipate more will participate in the coming months based on the promising results of the pilot," said the official on condition of anonymity.
This significant move is part of ongoing efforts to transform fair price shops, aiming to open new income opportunities for FPS dealers and improve overall beneficiary contentment, the food secretary said after the virtual launch of the pilot.
A workshop in physical mode was also organised for FPS dealers on how to catalogue products, service orders, and commission structure on ONDC.
Incorporated on 31 December 2021 by the department for promotion of industry and internal trade, ONDC is a not-for-profit entity aimed at creating an open network for digital commerce. It functions as a platform-neutral network, facilitating access to a variety of digital commerce services, currently available in around 600 cities with 80 service providers onboard.
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First Published:7 Feb 2024, 04:44 PM IST
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