PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (PDS)
Objectives of Public Distribution of System
The primary objectives of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in India are:
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Food Security: Ensure access to essential food commodities at affordable prices, especially for economically vulnerable sections of society. This involves providing subsidized food grains and other essential items to prevent hunger and malnutrition.
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Poverty Alleviation: Mitigate poverty by offering essential food items at lower prices to individuals and families below the poverty line, thus reducing their expenditure on basic necessities.
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Price Stability: Stabilize prices of essential commodities in the market by regulating their distribution and availability. Through the PDS, the government aims to prevent price fluctuations and ensure a steady supply of food items.
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Reduction of Hoarding and Black Marketing: Prevent the hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities by ensuring their regulated distribution through fair-price shops (FPS), thus making these items more accessible to the general public.
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Economic Stability: Strengthen the agricultural sector by providing a guaranteed market for farmers' produce. The government procures food grains from farmers at Minimum Support Prices (MSP), ensuring a stable income for them.
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Nutritional Support: Improve the nutritional status of vulnerable populations, especially women and children, by providing them with access to essential food items rich in nutrients.
Functions of Public Distribution System (PDS)
The Public Distribution System (PDS) in India serves several functions to ensure the effective distribution of essential commodities to the population in need. Some of its key functions include:
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Procurement: PDS involves the procurement of essential commodities like wheat, rice, sugar, and kerosene from farmers or authorized sources by the government. These items are purchased at Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) to support farmers and maintain a buffer stock.
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Storage: After procurement, the commodities are stored in warehouses and storage facilities maintained by the government to ensure their preservation and availability throughout the year. This helps in managing supply during periods of scarcity.
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Allocation and Distribution: The government allocates the procured food grains and commodities to states based on their requirements and population. The states then distribute these commodities to fair-price shops (FPS) or ration shops within their jurisdiction.
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Identification of Beneficiaries: The system identifies eligible beneficiaries, such as individuals below the poverty line and those belonging to economically weaker sections, who are entitled to receive subsidized food grains and other essential items.
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Subsidized Pricing: PDS offers essential commodities at subsidized rates to eligible beneficiaries through fair-price shops. These shops sell items like rice, wheat, sugar, and kerosene at prices much lower than the market rates.
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Monitoring and Oversight: PDS involves regular monitoring and oversight by government authorities to ensure the efficient functioning of the system. This includes checking the availability of commodities, quality control, prevention of hoarding, and eliminating leakages and corruption in the distribution process.
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Nutritional Support: PDS aims to provide nutritional support to vulnerable sections of society, especially women and children, by making available food grains rich in nutrients at affordable prices.
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Buffer Stock Maintenance: PDS also contributes to maintaining a buffer stock of food grains to handle emergency situations such as natural disasters or unforeseen shortages, ensuring food security during crises.
limitations of Public Distribution System
- Identifying eligible beneficiaries accurately poses a challenge. Errors in identifying and targeting the intended beneficiaries lead to exclusion of the deserving and inclusion of those who might not require subsidized food, causing inefficiencies.
- The PDS system is susceptible to leakages, diversion of food grains, and corruption at various stages, leading to a significant loss of allocated resources and benefits not reaching the intended recipients
- Ensuring the quality and quantity of food grains distributed through PDS poses a challenge. Issues such as adulteration, substandard quality, and inadequate quantities at fair-price shops are common.
- Inadequate storage facilities, transportation, and distribution networks result in spoilage of food grains, especially perishable items. In remote areas, the infrastructure might be insufficient, leading to delays in distribution and accessibility issues.
- The availability of highly subsidized food grains through PDS can sometimes distort local markets, affecting the pricing and availability of commodities for non-PDS consumers and local farmers.
- Subsidizing food grains and maintaining the PDS imposes a significant financial burden on the government. It requires substantial funding, which could be utilized in other developmental sectors
- The PDS primarily focuses on a limited range of commodities, mostly grains and some essential items, which might not cover the diverse nutritional needs of the population.
Targeted Public Distribution System
The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is an evolved version of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in India. It was introduced to enhance the efficiency of food distribution and better target beneficiaries in need of subsidized food grains and essential commodities. TPDS aims to minimize leakages and ensure that benefits reach the intended population more effectively.
Key features of the Targeted Public Distribution System include:
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Identification of Beneficiaries: TPDS focuses on identifying and targeting specific beneficiaries based on predefined criteria, such as income levels, socioeconomic status, and vulnerability. This targeting aims to ensure that subsidies reach those who need them the most.
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Priority Households: Under TPDS, priority households are identified, including those below the poverty line, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households (the poorest of the poor), and other eligible groups. These households receive greater benefits and subsidies in food grain allocation.
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Reduced Subsidies for Non-Priority Households: Non-priority households, considered relatively better off, receive fewer subsidies or may not qualify for subsidized rates for certain commodities. This strategy allows better allocation of resources to those most in need.
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Use of Technology: TPDS incorporates technology for better identification and tracking of beneficiaries. This includes the use of Aadhaar cards (unique identification), computerization of records, and GPS-enabled monitoring to reduce leakages and ensure transparency.
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Improved Transparency: The system aims for increased transparency in the distribution process, minimizing corruption and ensuring that subsidized items reach the intended beneficiaries through fair-price shops.
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Nutritional Support Programs: TPDS often integrates with nutrition-based schemes aimed at addressing malnutrition among women and children by providing specific nutritional supplements or fortified food items.
