Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Ravi Shankar
Summer Intern,
VGSOM, IIT Kharagpur
Under Guidance of
After undergoing several changes under five year plans, PDS role
became crucial when the entire population of country was brought
under it in the seventh five year plan.
◦ In 1984, GoI created department of food and department of civil supplies, later being
in-charge of PDS headed by minister of food and civil supplies.
By 1984, there were 3.2 lakh fair price shops all over India. Wheat,
rice, sugar, kerosene, edible oil and soft coke were supplied as
essential commodities.
PDS, till 1992, was a general entitlement scheme for all consumers
without any specific targets.
Essential supply programme gave way to Revamped public
distribution system (RPDS) in1992, under which 1775 blocks
were identified as economically and socially backward.
Despite several efforts, PDS was widely criticized for its failure to
serve population BPL, its urban bias, negligible coverage in states
with highest concentration of poor people, lack of transport and
accountable arrangements for delivery.
Realizing this, government of India introduced “Targeted
Public Distribution System in India” in the year 1997.
Figures show that more than 80% of total wheat and rice
procurement is done by state agencies (SWC, CSC, STC etc.).
The average buffer stock of food grains with FCI was 10.66
mT in 2006-07 and utilization of storage capacity was only
54% as on March 2007.
The carrying cost of buffer stock per quintal was Rs. 407 /-, the
procurement cost for wheat and rice ranges between Rs. 180 –
200 /- and the distribution cost is about Rs. 280 /- per quintal of
food grain.
The stock of rice and wheat in the Central Pool was sufficient to meet
the requirement under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and
Welfare Schemes during 2009-10 at existing level of allocations.
Distribution
Food grains as per allocation to state government are further
distributed to district and block level. From there food grains are
delivered to fair price shops as per their demands.
There are around 5 lakhs FPSs across India. Food grains are either
door delivered to or are procured by, FPS and are finally sold to
targeted end consumers at subsidized prices as per entitlements.
For people under APL, common grade rice is sold at a central issue
price of Rs. 790 /- per quintal whereas grade A rice is sold at Rs.
895 /- per quintal and wheat is sold at Rs. 610 /- per quintal.
For people under BPL category, both common grade and grade A rice
is sold at a central issue price of Rs. 565 /- per quintal and wheat is
sold at Rs. 415 /- per quintal.
In addition to distribution of food grain to population under
BPL and APL, allocation is made to population identified under
various schemes such as:
The off-take of food grains has always been lower than the
corresponding allocation for most of the states in the
country. (Refer figures in fore-coming slides)
Issues that reflect performance of public distribution
system
There exist large errors of exclusion (those who are actually poor
but not issued ration cards) and errors of inclusion (those who
are not poor but are issued ration cards).
It may be noticed that except a few states, majority have high errors
of exclusion and errors of inclusion.
It can be said that BPL families have been targeted better in south
India as compared to rest of India.
It has been observed that some states have issued more BPL
cards than the number of households while others have problems
of identification.
Delivery Mechanism
The administrative structures built up by states for delivery of food grains are
similar.
Most large states have 3-4 tier structure while northeastern states have 2 tier
structure.
Food grains are allotted to states are further sub allocated to district for
offtake.
The actual lifting of food grains from FCI godowns is done by wholesale
dealers of food grains who operate at district or sub-district level.
Food grains from FCI godowns are transported to wholesaler’s godowns and
from there to designated retail outlet.
Transportati
on by SCSC Transportatio
own/hired n to /by FPS
vehicles using hired
vehicles
It may be seen that in all north eastern states and Bihar &
U.P. , most of FPSs are owned by private individuals.
Margin for FPSs with door delivery varies from 8-45 paise
per kg of rice and 7-30 paise per kg of wheat.
It has been found that subsidizing these costs will turn FPSs
financially viable.
Preference for PDS grains vis. a vis. local grains: About 75%
of BPL cardholders said PDS gains are different from local variety
while more than 70% of BPL cardholders reported strong
preference of local variety of food grains.
Wealth status of cardholders: 36.5% of BPL cardholders
possessed any one or more assets (viz. tractor, traveller,
fridge, washing machine etc.)
Total leakage - > 36%, leakage through ghost cards – 17% &
leakage at FPS – 19%.
Bihar and Punjab rank topmost with more than 75% PDS food
grains leaking out.
A.P., Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and W.B. are state with least
quantity of food grains leaking out.
It may be said that for making one kg of food grain
available to poor government release 2.4 kg of food grains.
Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu are two states who have taken
initiatives to make PDS e-governed.
Multiplicity of schemes.
Expensive operation.
Leakages.
Non availability of food grains at FPSs.
Lack of information.
Implementation of Nine point Action Plan – Review of BPL, AAY,
leakage free distribution, involvement of PRIs, door delivery to FPS,
Transparency etc.
Choice of FPS.
to connect all the key offices of the Food Department including the
Secretariat, Commissioner cell, District Offices, Teshil/Block offices
and Whole Sale Points.
ICT Infrastructure
RC Mgmt
System
Off-take Allotment
analysis System
System
Central MIS
System
Central
HHD in Database
Field
PoS
Grievance
Redressal
Benefits to PDS from UID
Procureme
nt
FCI/CWC
SW Distribution to States
C
ST , Distributi
C
on
FPS
Food grains are distributed to fair price shops for final sale to the
consumers at subsidized prices.