The Public Distribution System (PDS) evolved as a system of management of scarcity and for distribution of food grains at affordable prices. Over the years, PDS has become an important part of Government’s policy for management of food economy in the country. PDS is supplemental in nature and is not intended to make available the entire requirement of any of the commodities distributed under it to a household or a section of the society. However, doubts have been raised about the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the PDS, especially in the light of the growing food subsidy and food stocks. The PDS needs to be restructured and there is a need to explore the possibility of introducing innovative ideas such as smart cards, food credit/debit cards, food stamps and decentralized procurement, to eliminate hunger and make food available to the poor wherever they may be in cost-effective manner.PDS is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State Governments.

The Central government, through FCI, has assumed the responsibility for procurement, storage, transportation and bulk allocation of food grains to the State Governments. The operational responsibility including allocation within State, identification of families below the poverty line, issue of Ration Cards and supervision of the functioning of FPS, rest with the State Governments. Under the PDS, the commodities namely wheat, rice, sugar and kerosene, are being allocated to the States/UTs for distribution. Some States/UTs also distribute additional items of mass consumption through the PDS outlets such as cloth, exercise books, pulses, salt and tea, etc.

A combination of good monsoon years and a policy of ensuring relatively higher returns on production of rice and wheat has ensured that the country has a surfeit of foodgrains accumulated in the godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), far beyond the prescribed buffer stock norms. The problem facing the country today is not one of shortage of foodgrains but of managing the surplus. Ironically, even as the godowns of the FCI are overflowing, stray cases of starvation deaths are still being reported. A civilised society in the 21st century cannot allow this to happen.
Therefore, while there is need to produce adequate food grains domestically, supplementing with imports whenever required, it is also necessary to look at the food grain distribution network. The Public Distribution System (PDS) in the country facilitates the supply of food grains to the poor at a subsidised price.

There are two aspects to the paradox of overflowing godowns and vulnerable sections of society not consuming adequate food. One is the issue of having enough purchasing power or income to buy food and the other is the access to food in terms of physical availability of food. Though the overall employment generation is closely connected to efficient economic growth, there are some issues that must be kept in mind. In remote, inaccessible and backward regions both job opportunities and access to food may be constrained. In such situations, food-for-work and related schemes

 

Executive Summary
Evolution Of Public Distribution System
Working Of The Pds
Food Procurement Policy
Decentralized Procurement Scheme
Minimum Support Price (Msp)
Distribution
Fair Price Shops
Revamped Public Distribution System (Rpds)
Targeted Public Distribution System (Tpds)
Identification Of Bpl Families Under Tpds
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (Aay)
Scale Of Issue Of Food-Grains Under Tpds
Central Issue Price (Cip)
Allocation Under Tpds
Achievements Of Tpds
Performance Evaluation Of Tpds
Major Deficiencies Of Tpds
High Exclusion And Inclusion Errors
Viability Of Fpss
Regional Allocation And Price Stabilization Objective
Leakages And Diversion
Computerization Of Public Distribution System (Pds) Operations
Strengthening Of Pds And Capacity Building
E-Governance In Department Of Food & Public Distribution
Plan Schemes For Strengthening Of Pds
Basis Of Allocation And Bpl Estimates Of Planning Commission
Measures Taken To Strengthen Tpds
Involvement Of Panchayati Raj Institutions
Annexure
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