udaan Partners with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and SIDBI to transform Fair Price Shops into ‘Jan Poshan Kendras’

New Delhi, August 20, 2024: udaan, India’s leading eB2B platform, today announced a partnership with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to transform Fair Price Shops (FPSs) into ‘Jan Poshan Kendras (JPK)’. This initiative by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, is aimed to enhance the income of Fair Price Shops (FPS) dealers while improving nutritional outcomes for beneficiaries. The initiative further aims to provide upskilling, access to credit and ongoing financial support to FPS dealers, enabling them to offer nutrition-dense non-Public Distribution System (PDS) commodities at their shops.

The initiative was launched in the presence of Shri Pralhad Joshi, Hon’ble Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy in New Delhi today. Also present at the occasion were Shri Manoj Mittal, Chairman & Managing Director from SIDBI, and Vaibhav Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO of udaan.

Vaibhav Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO, udaan, said, “At udaan, our mission has always been to empower small businesses and create a more inclusive and efficient marketplace. The Jan Poshan Kendra Development initiative of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, in association with SIDBI and udaan, is a significant step towards achieving that vision. By modernising Jan Poshan Kendra and expanding their access to a diverse range of products, the initiative aims to empower these essential community businesses while contributing to the broader goal of ensuring that every Indian has access to quality and affordable nutrition. We are proud to be a part of this transformative initiative that will uplift both the small shops and the communities they serve.”

As part of this initiative, udaan will enable Jan Poshan Kendras to access a broader and more diverse assortment of food products through its eB2B platform. This will address the requirements such as the availability of wide variety of products, regular stocking of frequently demanded products, and the need to serve a large and diverse population. This initiative will provide the Jan Poshan Kendras with large variety and adequate quantity of nutritional options at regular intervals to cater to the communities in the areas they are present.

Under the pilot initiative, approximately 60 selected Fair Price Shops (15 FPSs from each pilot district/ state) across four States: Rajasthan (Jaipur), Uttar Pradesh (Ghaziabad) Telangana (Hyderabad), and Gujarat (Ahmedabad) have been identified. Post a successful validation of the model, the initiative aims to expand and cover ~1.3 lakh Jan Poshan Kendras identified by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution for modernisation. To provide impetus to this initiative through financial assistance, SIDBI will offer credit facilities to these Jan Poshan Kendra, enabling them to purchase food grains and FMCG products through udaan’s platform. As part of the pilot project being undertaken in various States, udaan will offer access to over 3500 products across various staples and FMCG categories, ensuring that Jan Poshan Kendras can meet the diverse nutritional needs of their communities. This initiative is a significant step towards realising the Government’s vision of a healthy and well-nourished India.

By being part of this initiative, Jan Poshan Kendras will immensely benefit from quality products at affordable pricing, a wider variety of food products and selections, better product availability, and enhanced convenience of ordering anytime. In turn, the underserved communities that they serve will gain access to a broader range of essential nutritional options at various price points, thereby improving their overall nutrition.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and SIDBI, udaan has already conducted multiple educational workshops for Jan Poshan Kendra owners, educating them on the benefits and opportunities provided by this initiative. The response from shop owners has been overwhelmingly positive, indicating strong support and enthusiasm for the initiative.