Public Distribution System in India

Teaching Public Administration, 2000

Dogo Rangsang Research Journal, 2020

Public distribution system is a flagship food security programme of the government. Under PDS government transfer food grains to the general public or households at subsidise rate. Government procures food grains from farmers at minimum support price and it stores it in Food Security Corporation of India godowns and through the ration shops or fair price shops it transfers food grains to general households. This is done to ensure food security in the economy. If government has to ensure food security, it must ensure that food grains are available to households at affordable price. And public distribution system is the flagship programme of the government. But public distribution system suffers from many inefficiencies. The propose of this paper is to discuss present scenario of public distribution system in India. This is a review-based paper that has used existing literature and other secondary sources to study present scenario of public distribution system in India.

The Public Distribution System (PDS) plays an important role in the provision of food security. PDS in India facilitates the supply of food grains to the poor at a subsidized price. It also helps to modulate openmarket prices for commodities that are distributed through the system. Government accords great importance to the objective of measuring outcomes of PDS so as to ensure that equal distribution system serves up the purpose for which it was set up. The present paper critically analyzes the organizational structure and their loopholes in the functioning of agencies like Food Corporation of India & Central Warehousing Corporation engaged in the procurement, transportation, storage and distribution. And suggests remedial measures to make the PDS transparent, efficient and effective without which the vision of food for all cannot be attained in India.

The Public Distribution System (PDS) plays an important role in the provision of food security. PDS in India facilitates the supply of food grains to the poor at a subsidized price. It also helps to modulate openmarket prices for commodities that are distributed through the system. Government accords great importance to the objective of measuring outcomes of PDS so as to ensure that equal distribution system serves up the purpose for which it was set up. The present paper critically analyzes the organizational structure and their loopholes in the functioning of agencies like Food Corporation of India & Central Warehousing Corporation engaged in the procurement, transportation, storage and distribution. And suggests remedial measures to make the PDS transparent, efficient and effective without which the vision of food for all cannot be attained in India.

EPRA International Journal of Economic and Business Review

Public Distribution System (PDS) is an Indian food security system established under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. PDS developed as a strategy of managing shortages through the inexpensive distribution of foodgrains at reliable rates. PDS has been in use in India for more than eighty years. Present paper is an attempt to trace the development of Indian public distribution system, a mechanism for ensuring food security in India. The changing functions of the public distribution system over a long span of time since its inception is discussed in present paper. This paper is descriptive and exploratory in nature and is based on secondary data collected from the various authentic sources like research paper, government websites, newspapers and other important sources. KEY WORDS: PDS; National Food Security Act 2013; COVID-19; 2nd World War

Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 2019

Public Distribution System (PDS) started from 1997 for providing essential commodities like rice, wheat, sugar etc. to a large number of people through a network of 5.35 lakh Fair Price Shops (FPS) on a recurring basis at a subsidized price to boost food and nutritional security in India. Whether the PDS is effective to reach targeted people is under serious concern. The problem arises as supply exceeds demand at Minimum Support Price (MSP) of food grains. Over the last 7 years, the average procurement of food grains (rice and wheat) has been around 25 per cent of production. The rising MSP of foodgrains during the last 7 years which enhances the chance of increased subsidy amount given by government resulting increased quantity of food grains procurement and inflation in input prices at constant Central Issue Prices (CIP). Gulati and Saini [1] evaluated under various studies- since 1999-2000 to 2011-12 which narrates about rising leakages of food grains from 9 per cent in 1999-2000...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019

The Public Distribution System (PDS) of India plays a crucial role in reducing food insecurity by acting as a safety net by distributing essentials at a subsidised rate. While the PDS forms a cornerstone of government food and nutrition policy, India continues to be home to a large population of hungry and malnourished people. This review seeks to explore the functioning and efficiency of the PDS in achieving food and nutritional security in India. A comprehensive and systematic search using the key terms “food insecurity” OR “food security” AND “Public Distribution System” OR “PDS” OR “TPDS” AND “India” identified 23 articles which met the inclusion criteria. This review draws attention to the lack of published literature in areas of PDS and food security in India. The findings of the review emphasise the role of PDS in tackling hunger and malnutrition while highlighting its limited role in improving food security and childhood mortality due to operational inefficiencies. The PDS h...

There is a broad-based trend of improvement in most of the states due to initiatives to make the system work - expansion of PDS coverage, reduction in PDS prices, computerisation, doorstep delivery ofgrain, deprivatization of ration shops, and community management of FPS, setting up proper channels for grievance redressal and raising FPS commissions. An important part ofthe revival is the new political will to make the PDS work and strengthen the demand side by increasing the coverage and raising the stake ofbeneficiaries in a well-functioning PDS system

2014

This paper investigates the effect of food subsidy through Public Distribution System (PDS) on poverty and food security in India. The study used fiscal transfer method to estimate the subsidy transfer through PDS and its indirect benefits as a window for the poor to escape poverty and improve food security. The robustness of the results was checked based on propensity score matching (PSM) technique. The study established that, the effectiveness of PDS has improved over time and PDS emerged as an effective tool in targeting the twin problems of poverty and under-nourishment in the country.