Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Challenges related to PDS;
Why in the News?
Bureaucratic problems have caused many households in northern, central, and eastern India to be taken off the PDS rolls.
How effectively does the PDS ensure food security for vulnerable populations?
- Food Access and Coverage: The PDS covers approximately 57% of the population, providing subsidized staples primarily rice and wheat. This system acts as a safety net during economic shocks and has played a crucial role during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic by distributing free food grains to millions.
- Leakages and Corruption: A staggering 28% of allocated food never reaches intended beneficiaries, translating into significant losses and exacerbating food insecurity among the poor.
- Corruption and illegal diversion of food grains are rampant, with reports indicating that high leakage rates persist despite technological interventions like point-of-sale machines.
- Nutritional Security: While the PDS provides basic food staples, it often neglects broader nutritional needs. The focus on rice and wheat means that other essential items, such as pulses and fortified foods, are not consistently included, which is crucial for combating malnutrition among vulnerable populations.
Case study:The Public Distribution System (PDS) is intended to provide food security to vulnerable populations, but reports indicate significant inefficiencies. In states like Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bihar, a substantial number of households have been removed from PDS rolls, exacerbating food insecurity among marginalised communities such as the Musahar community. |
What are the key documentation challenges facing the implementation of the PDS?
- Unnecessary Documentation: The PDS requires documents like caste, income, and residence certificates, which are not mandated by the NFSA or PDS control orders, creating barriers for individuals who lack or cannot easily obtain them.
- Inclusion and Exclusion Errors: Errors in beneficiary identification result in eligible households being excluded (61%) and ineligible ones receiving benefits (25%), undermining the system’s fairness.
- Biometric Verification Challenges: Biometric failures and data discrepancies lead to eligible individuals being removed from PDS rolls, forcing them to reapply without guarantees of approval.
- Awareness Gap: Marginalized communities often lack knowledge about their rights and the application process, leading to underutilization of benefits and increased vulnerability to exploitation.
- Technological Barriers: The shift to online applications disadvantages individuals without internet access or digital literacy, widening the gap in accessing entitlements.
- Ghost Beneficiaries: The issuance of ration cards to non-existent individuals (“ghost cards”) due to poor data management and irregular updates creates inefficiencies and complicates the system.
What are the bureaucratic challenges?
- Exclusion Due to Ineffective Targeting: The move to a targeted PDS has resulted in many eligible households being excluded due to bureaucratic inefficiencies in identifying the right beneficiaries.
- Complicated Documentation Process: The need for documents like caste and income certificates creates obstacles for many eligible individuals, particularly in marginalised communities, leading to their exclusion from the system.
- Issues with Biometric Verification: The mandatory biometric verification has caused problems, with many individuals being removed from PDS rolls due to technical errors or discrepancies, forcing them to reapply without certainty of approval.
- Poor Data Management: Inadequate beneficiary list management has led to both inclusion and exclusion errors, with outdated records and ghost beneficiaries making it difficult for genuine recipients to access their food entitlements.
- Corruption and Mismanagement: Corruption within the PDS, such as the diversion of food grains and mismanagement at various levels, has caused significant portions of allocated food to not reach the intended beneficiaries.
What reforms are necessary to enhance the PDS and uphold the right to food? (Way forward)
- Streamlining Documentation Requirements: Simplifying or eliminating unnecessary documentation can help improve access for eligible households.
- Enhancing Transparency and Accountability: Implementing regular audits and community monitoring can help combat corruption within the system.
- Increased transparency in operations will ensure that resources reach those who need them most.
- Expanding Nutritional Offerings: Including a wider variety of food items in the PDS can address nutritional deficiencies among vulnerable populations.
- States like Tamil Nadu have successfully incorporated pulses and fortified rice into their distribution systems, serving as models for others.
- Digitalization and Grievance Redressal: Improving digital infrastructure while ensuring robust grievance redressal mechanisms can enhance efficiency and accountability within the PDS.
Mains PYQ:
Q What are the major challenges of Public Distribution System (PDS) in India? How can it be made effective and transparent? (UPSC IAS/2022)
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