The efficient functioning of a food grain distribution system is crucial for ensuring food security and alleviating hunger in any nation. Recognizing the significance of this aspect, governments worldwide implement reformative measures to enhance the effectiveness of their food grain distribution systems. In recent years, the government has undertaken a series of strategic steps to streamline and improve the distribution of food grains, aiming to reach a wider population and address issues of accessibility, affordability, and equitable distribution. These reformative measures encompass a range of initiatives, from technological advancements in storage and transportation to policy changes aimed at eliminating bottlenecks in the supply chain. By adopting these measures, the government aims not only to ensure a steady and reliable supply of food grains but also to enhance the overall efficiency of the distribution system, ultimately contributing to the broader goal of eradicating hunger and promoting food security. This essay will delve into the specific reformative steps taken by the government to achieve a more effective food grain distribution system, examining their impact on accessibility, affordability, and the overall well-being of the population.
Tag: Public Distribution System – Objectives, Functioning, Limitations, Revamping; Issues of Buffer Stocks and Food Security.
Decoding the Questions:
- In the Introduction, try to write about the Public distribution system (PDS).
- In Body, discuss various steps taken by the government to reform the food grain distribution system.
- Try to conclude with the suggestions.
Answer:
The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 provides for the Right to Food as a legal entitlement by providing subsidized food grains to nearly two-thirds of the population. However, the current food grain distribution system is fraught with various defects.
Public Distribution System (PDS) is a government-sponsored chain of shops entrusted with the work of distributing basic food and non-food commodities to the needy sections of society at very cheap prices. Wheat, rice, kerosene, sugar, etc. are a few major commodities distributed by the PDS. The major objectives of PDS are:
- Provide essential consumer goods at cheap and subsidized prices.
- To maintain buffer stock to meet any exigencies in food security.
- Maintaining the minimum nutritional status of the population.
Despite high budgetary expenditure on food subsidies, India’s ranking in the Global Hunger Index is 94 out of 107 countries which shows India’s poor food security. It is partly due to issues with PDS.
Issues with PDS:
- Inaccurate identification of households: Presence of inclusion and exclusion errors in identification of beneficiaries.
- Leakages in the delivery system: This takes place during the transportation of food grains to ration shops and from there to the open market.
- Financially inefficient: The center bears a large financial burden of the food subsidy as the cost of procuring and delivering food grains is about six times its sale price.
- Shortfall in the storage capacity: It leads to the rotting of food grains.
Steps taken by the government are:
- Procurement: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has tried to revamp and restructure the procurement system to cover the entire country. In this regard, FCI has also made special efforts for procurement in the eastern states of India.
- End-to-end computerization: Justice Wadhwa Committee report on PDS reforms recommended computerization to prevent the diversion of food grains and enable easy identification of beneficiaries at ration shops.
- Universal PDS: Tamil Nadu implements universal PDS in which every household is entitled to subsidized food. This way helps to prevent exclusion and inclusion errors.
- Digitalization: States like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have adopted IT measures to implement a Targeted Public Distribution System through digitizing ration cards, the use of GPS tracking systems. Etc.
- GPS tracking of delivery: The tracking of the movement of trucks carrying food grains has helped in monitoring the supply chain. It has been implemented by Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu.
- SMS-based monitoring by citizens: Allows monitoring by citizens as they can register their mobile numbers and send/receive SMS alerts during dispatch and arrival.
- Grievance Redressal: For the grievance redressal mechanism every district is required to set up vigilance committees at the state, district, block, and shop level.
- Shanta Kumar Committee: Shanta Kumar Committee Report recommended privatization, outsourcing, and cash benefit transfer to cut food procurement and distribution costs.
- Use of web-based citizen’s portal: For public grievance redressal they can register complaints or provide suggestions.
- Implementing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in Public Distribution System (PDS): Currently, pilot projects have been started in Delhi and Puducherry.
- Improving storage facilities: To stop the wastage of food grains and reduce the wastage of government resources, the government has introduced the Public-Private Partnership under the private entrepreneur guarantee scheme. Godowns are constructed through private investors and hired by FCI for a guaranteed period of 10 years.
Way forward:
- To Eliminate Exclusion Errors: For inclusion of excluded people from PDS during this pandemic, experts like Abhijeet Banerjee are recommending a temporary ration card for six months to everyone who is in need with minimal checks.
- Engagement of the private Sector: This can help to modernize stocking and warehousing facilities.
- Home delivery of food grains: This can help in increasing last-mile connectivity.
Food security is crucial for reaping the benefits of demographic dividend and this can be achieved through a robust food distribution system. Competitive federalism should be promoted among states to learn from the best practices of other states in managing the food economy. Thus, the efficient functioning of PDS is very essential for feeding poor and vulnerable sections of society and improving India’s ranking in the global hunger index. With efficient and leak-proof PDS India aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7(zero hunger).
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