Digital Onboarding of Fair Price Shops in Himachal Pradesh on ONDC

New Delhi:  In a significant move towards realizing the goals of Digital India, Shri Sanjeev Chopra, Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, inaugurated a pilot program to onboard Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in Una and Hamirpur districts of Himachal Pradesh on the Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC). The virtual launch took place across 11 FPSs, with 5 in Una and 6 in Hamirpur, marking the first instance of Fair Price Shops joining the ONDC platform.

During the launch, Shri Chopra emphasized that this initiative is a pivotal step in the ongoing transformation of Fair Price Shops, aimed at creating additional income sources for FPS dealers and improving beneficiary satisfaction.

He highlighted the manifold benefits for FPS dealers, including increased visibility in the digital marketplace, access to a broader customer base beyond National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries, and the ability to compete on an equal footing with larger retailers and e-commerce platforms. Moreover, beneficiaries facing challenges in making online purchases can now approach FPS dealers for assistance in placing online orders.

Shri Chopra underscored that the success of the pilot project in Himachal Pradesh will serve as a model for broader adoption at the state and national levels. He commended the support provided by MicroSave Consulting (MSC) in implementing this pilot program.

Following the launch, a workshop in physical mode was conducted for FPS dealers in Una and Hamirpur districts. The workshop covered aspects such as product cataloging, service orders, commission structure on ONDC, and more.

Ms. Anita Karn, Joint Secretary (PD), Shri Ravi Shankar, Director (PD), Shri Mitul Thapliyal, Partner at MSC, and Shri Saransh Agrawal from ONDC were also present during the launch event.