{"id":27158,"date":"2024-02-14T08:54:20","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T08:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/?p=27158"},"modified":"2024-02-14T08:54:21","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T08:54:21","slug":"upsc-mains-does-the-public-distribution-system-in-india-effectively-achieve-the-goal-of-ensuring-food-security-for-the-most-vulnerable-discuss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-mains-does-the-public-distribution-system-in-india-effectively-achieve-the-goal-of-ensuring-food-security-for-the-most-vulnerable-discuss\/","title":{"rendered":"UPSC Mains &#8211; Does the public distribution system in India effectively achieve the goal of ensuring food security for the most vulnerable? Discuss."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/refer-and-earn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Attempt-our-Daily-Weekly-Current-Affairs-Quiz-now-10-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Attempt-our-Daily-Weekly-Current-Affairs-Quiz-now-10-1.png 1280w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Attempt-our-Daily-Weekly-Current-Affairs-Quiz-now-10-1-1170x274.png 1170w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Attempt-our-Daily-Weekly-Current-Affairs-Quiz-now-10-1-585x137.png 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/a><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/refer-and-earn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Refer &amp; Earn NOW<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e10ffdd5dde\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e10ffdd5dde\"  \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-mains-does-the-public-distribution-system-in-india-effectively-achieve-the-goal-of-ensuring-food-security-for-the-most-vulnerable-discuss\/#Introduction\" title=\"Introduction:\">Introduction:<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-mains-does-the-public-distribution-system-in-india-effectively-achieve-the-goal-of-ensuring-food-security-for-the-most-vulnerable-discuss\/#Body\" title=\"Body:\">Body:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-mains-does-the-public-distribution-system-in-india-effectively-achieve-the-goal-of-ensuring-food-security-for-the-most-vulnerable-discuss\/#PDS_Meeting_Objectives_of_Food_Security_for_the_Poor\" title=\"PDS Meeting Objectives of Food Security for the Poor:\">PDS Meeting Objectives of Food Security for the Poor:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-mains-does-the-public-distribution-system-in-india-effectively-achieve-the-goal-of-ensuring-food-security-for-the-most-vulnerable-discuss\/#Issues_Associated_with_the_Program\" title=\"Issues Associated with the Program:\">Issues Associated with the Program:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-mains-does-the-public-distribution-system-in-india-effectively-achieve-the-goal-of-ensuring-food-security-for-the-most-vulnerable-discuss\/#Way_Forward\" title=\"Way Forward:\">Way Forward:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-mains-does-the-public-distribution-system-in-india-effectively-achieve-the-goal-of-ensuring-food-security-for-the-most-vulnerable-discuss\/#In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\" title=\"In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;\">In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-mains-does-the-public-distribution-system-in-india-effectively-achieve-the-goal-of-ensuring-food-security-for-the-most-vulnerable-discuss\/#Visit_our_YouTube_Channel_%E2%80%93_here\" title=\"Visit our YouTube Channel \u2013&nbsp;here\">Visit our YouTube Channel \u2013&nbsp;here<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction\"><\/span>Introduction: <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Public Distribution System (PDS) has evolved as a strategy to manage scarcity by distributing food grains at affordable prices, becoming a crucial element in the government&#8217;s efforts to ensure food security in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Body\"><\/span>Body:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PDS_Meeting_Objectives_of_Food_Security_for_the_Poor\"><\/span>PDS Meeting Objectives of Food Security for the Poor:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It has played a role in stabilizing food prices and making food accessible to economically disadvantaged groups at reasonable prices. <\/li><li>Beneficiaries encompass landless laborers, marginal farmers, rural artisans\/craftsmen (like potters, tanners, and blacksmiths), slum dwellers, destitute individuals, and those in the informal sector earning a livelihood on a daily basis in both rural and urban areas. <\/li><li>Special provisions cater to supplementary nutrition for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children aged 6 months to 14 years, along with subsidized food grains for 75% of the rural poor and 50% of the urban poor.<\/li><li><strong>Trailing in GHI Ranking: <\/strong>India ranks 111th out of 125 in the 2023 Global Hunger Index, scoring 28.7 based on indicators like the undernourished population and children suffering from wasting and stunting.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Issues_Associated_with_the_Program\"><\/span>Issues Associated with the Program: <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Identification of beneficiaries and social exclusion: <\/strong>Targeting mechanisms like TPDS have demonstrated susceptibility to significant inclusion and exclusion errors. <\/li><li><strong>Lack of an efficient management framework: <\/strong>Challenges such as leakages, diversion of food grains, inclusion\/exclusion errors, fake ration cards, and a weak grievance redressal and social audit mechanism plague the Public Distribution System.<\/li><li> <strong>Nutritional Insecurity: <\/strong>The predominant focus on food grains like rice and wheat fails to address prevalent protein and micronutrient deficiencies in India.<\/li><li><strong>Inconsistent Quality:<\/strong> Recipients commonly report inconsistent quality in the provided rations, with complaints mainly regarding the poor quality of wheat.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Way_Forward\"><\/span>Way Forward: <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Improving Storage Capacities<\/strong>: Enhancing storage capacities is imperative to ensure proper storage of procured food grains for PDS schemes. <\/li><li><strong>Vigilance Committees and Social Auditing:<\/strong> Implementing vigilance committees and social auditing at various levels can help curb corruption and leakages, and ensure nutritional quality. <\/li><li><strong>Eliminating Exclusion Errors: <\/strong>Temporary ration cards for a period of six months with minimal checks, as recommended by experts like Abhijeet Banerjee and Raghuram Rajan, can help eliminate exclusion errors. <\/li><li><strong>Nutritional Security at Large: <\/strong>Adding staple foods widely consumed by the poor is a promising approach to addressing nutritional deficiencies in this population segment.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc\/upsc-essay?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Banner&amp;utm_campaign=Essay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UPSC-Essay-Course-1280\u00d7300-1-3.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42688 lazyload\" width=\"781\" height=\"182\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 781px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 781\/182;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\"><\/span><strong>In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For UPSC Prelims Resources,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc-cse-prelims-resource-centre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Daily Updates and Study Material:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Join our Telegram Channel \u2013&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/WithEdukemy4IAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Edukemy for IAS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>1. 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