SHILLONG: The Government of Meghalaya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to streamline and strengthen the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Meghalaya. The partnership aims to help the WFP and the state government in achieving the sustainable development goal 2 – zero hunger in the state.
The Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, had organised a programme on November 18, on ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. The MoU was signed at this event only by Dr P Shakil Ahammed, Secretary, Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs, Government of Meghalaya and Eric Kenefick, Deputy Country Director, WFP in India.
As per the MoU, the food department of state and WFP will undertake supply chain optimization of the entire targeted public distribution system in the state, along with introducing innovative solutions and technologies.
The Government of Meghalaya also signed an MoU with the Common Service Centre to improve the PDS system. Ahammed said that synergy with the government, WFP, and CSC is expected to greatly help PDS beneficiaries across the state through better services as it will bring transparency and accountability.