Rescaling the public distribution system in India: Mapping the uneven transition from spatialization to territorialization

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédéric Landy
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Policy Innovation ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Central State ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Distribution System ◽  
Food Grains ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
A Minor

The Indian public distribution system operates like a huge machine transferring food grains procured by the federal government from surplus regions at a guaranteed price towards deficit areas where grains are sold at subsidized prices to poor households. The role of India’s regional States has become more significant in recent years with ‘decentralized procurement’. However, the national state has not become a minor actor, sandwiched between the globalization of food flows and decentralization policies. A process of state spatial rescaling is indeed taking place, although limited in scope and uneven across space. Before the 1990s, despite the uncontested power of the central state, sizeable differentiation already existed between States or ‘food zones’, in procurement as well as distribution. Recent rescaling of the policy has given States greater scope for policy innovation, via a ‘territorialization’ process. Nevertheless, despite significant rescaling to the subnational scale and the importance of ‘localization’ and ‘globalization’ trends, the national scale maintains a prominent position in the overall policy framework.

Economic impact of initial period of lockdown in Kolkata and suburbs

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Bandana Sen ◽  
Aloke Kar
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Initial Period ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Income Group ◽  
Free Food ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Distribution System ◽  
Food Grains ◽  
On Line

The present study provides a snapshot of the level of degradation of economic and living conditions of middle-class households of Kolkata and its neighbourhood during ‘lockdown’. It is based on an on-line survey of households of students of five purposively-selected colleges carried out during the second half of May 2020. The survey reveals that inflow of regular normal income had ceased altogether for over 40% of the sample households. About 15% of the households suffered from outright job loss or complete denial or withholding of wages and salaries payments of their members in paid employment and another about 27% reported complete closure of small businesses run by them. The normal-times income had altogether ceased for over a half of the households of the lowest income group. Predictably, the worst hit group was the wage labourers. Over four-fifths households with their prime earning member in wage employment reported job and earnings related problems, with over a fourth reporting job losses. Households with self-employed prime earners too were severely affected, with about three-fourths of them reporting such problems. Even the households with regular-salaried prime earners were badly hit. About a half of them reported job and earnings related problems. The results suggest that food grains distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS) played a decisive role in averting an imminent famine-like situation. About 60% of the sample households were found to have procured food stuff from the PDS. Among the wage-labourers’ households, well over 80% reported dependence on the PDS, with ostensibly a large proportion of them receiving food altogether free. Despite free food grains distribution, about 5% of the sample households could not arrange three meals a day for all its members.

ICT, Unique Identity and Inclusive Growth

2012 ◽  
pp. 584-612
Author(s):  
K. M. Mital
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Inclusive Growth ◽  
Public Distribution System ◽  
Food Grains ◽  
Unique Identity ◽  
Employment Guarantee ◽  
Open Markets

Government of India has recently sought to establish identity of country’s each resident including migratory population from one state to another through IT-enabled unique identification (UID) numbers under the aegis of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which shall lead to inclusive growth. UID numbers offer diverse benefits to each resident, such as quick opening of bank accounts, speedier issuance of passports, efficient administration of the PDS (public distribution system) for food grains at subsidized rates to the BPL (below poverty line) families by preventing ‘leakage’ to open markets, rapid enrollment to and efficient disbursal of wages under the ‘Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)’ for guaranteed employment for every household, et cetera. The chapter reviews the role of ICT and UID numbers in achieving inclusive growth, achieving food security, augmenting employment opportunities, efficiently accessing public services, and achieving higher standards of livelihood and quality-of-life sustained though different welfare schemes.

scholarly journals An Empirical Analysis on Food Subsidy in India

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-126
Author(s):  
V Krishnakumar
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Government Subsidy ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Distribution System ◽  
Food Grains ◽  
Food Subsidy ◽  
The Government ◽  
Main Instrument ◽  
Targeted Public Distribution System

The Public Distribution system is India’s largest poverty alleviation programme and it is mainly depends with the subsidy given by the government of India. The subsidy is provided to Food Corporation of India, which is the main instrument of the Government of India for procurement and distribution of wheat and rice under Targeted Public Distribution System and other welfare schemes and for maintaining the buffer stock of food grains as a measure of  food security. This paper makes critical review on the flow of food subsidy given by the Government of India to the Food Corporation of India and how strengthens the poverty alleviation programme by using Government subsidy.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of the Public Distribution System: A Critical Review

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Alok Kumar Sahoo ◽  
D. K. Krishna ◽  
N. V. Kumbhare
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Fair Price ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Distribution System ◽  
System A ◽  
Food Grains ◽  
Support Price ◽  
Absolute Quantity ◽  
Food And Nutritional Security ◽  
Input Prices

Public Distribution System (PDS) started from 1997 for providing essential commodities like rice, wheat, sugar etc. to a large number of people through a network of 5.35 lakh Fair Price Shops (FPS) on a recurring basis at a subsidized price to boost food and nutritional security in India. Whether the PDS is effective to reach targeted people is under serious concern. The problem arises as supply exceeds demand at Minimum Support Price (MSP) of food grains. Over the last 7 years, the average procurement of food grains (rice and wheat) has been around 25 per cent of production. The rising MSP of foodgrains during the last 7 years which enhances the chance of increased subsidy amount given by government resulting increased quantity of food grains procurement and inflation in input prices at constant Central Issue Prices (CIP). Gulati and Saini [1] evaluated under various studies- since 1999-2000 to 2011-12 which narrates about rising leakages of food grains from 9 per cent in 1999-2000 to 36 per cent in 2011-12. In terms of absolute quantity of grains pilfered, of the total quantity of 25.91 MMT pilfered, UP stands at the top with almost 4 MMT (15.3%) pilfered from PDS in 2011-12. There are 39.6 per cent poor having ration cards and 60.4 per cent poor having no cards. There are 26.3 per cent non-poor having ration cards causing inclusion error. The exclusion error is severe as a Type-II error causing 70.5 per cent total in India. There are many loopholes in PDS, leading to ineffectiveness and inefficiency in achieving its objectives. It needs reforms like the transparent selection of beneficiaries, universalization, end to end computerization, more commodities to be included, an effective grievance redressal agency, ADHAAR based PDS, the inclusion of innovative schemes like food coupon, smart card etc. More or less, the innovative mechanism in PDS has to be assessed before implementation to enhance effectiveness and check further error.

scholarly journals Malnutrition and poverty in India: does the use of public distribution system matter?

BMC Nutrition ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Basant Kumar Panda ◽  
Sanjay K. Mohanty ◽  
Itishree Nayak ◽  
Vishal Dev Shastri ◽  
S. V. Subramanian
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Investment ◽  
Public Distribution System ◽  
Food Grains ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Quality Of Food ◽  
Food Grain ◽  
Demographic Covariates

Abstract Background Large scale public investment in Public Distribution System (PDS) have aimed to reduce poverty and malnutrition in India. The PDS is the largest ever welfare programme which provides subsidised food grain to the poor households. This study attempt to examine the extent of stunting and underweight among the children from poor and non-poor households by use of public distribution system (PDS) in India. Methods Data from the National Family and Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4), was used for the analysis. A composite variable based on asset deprivation and possession of welfare card provided under PDS (BPL card), was computed for all households and categorised into four mutually exclusive groups, namely real poor, excluded poor, privileged non-poor and non-poor. Real poor are those economically poor and have a welfare card, excluded poor are those economically poor and do not have welfare card, privileged poor are those economically non-poor but have welfare card, and non-poor are those who are not economically poor and do not have welfare card. Estimates of stunting and underweight were provided by these four categories. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for the analysis. Results About half of the children from each real poor and excluded poor, two-fifths among privileged non-poor and less than one-third among non-poor households were stunted in India. Controlling for socio-economic and demographic covariates, the adjusted odds ratio of being stunted among real poor was 1.42 [95% CI: 1.38, 1.46], 1.43 [95% CI: 1.39, 1.47], among excluded poor and 1.15 [95% CI: 1.12, 1.18], among privileged non-poor. The pattern was similar for underweight and held true in most of the states of India. Conclusions Undernutrition among children from poor households those excluded from PDS is highest, and it warrants inclusion in PDS. Improving the quality of food grains and widening food basket in PDS is recommended for reduction in level of malnutrition in India.

scholarly journals Biometric Authentication Based Automated Ration Disbursal for Public Distribution System

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4S2) ◽  
pp. 770-777
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Raspberry Pi ◽  
Prototype System ◽  
Biometric Authentication ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Distribution System ◽  
Food Grains ◽  
Actual Field ◽  
The Government ◽  
Time Required

This paper proposes a novel application for automating the Public Distribution System. The Government of India supplies essential commodities for everyday use like food grains (rice, wheat), kerosene (fuel for cooking) etc. to a large number of people by an elaborate machinery called Public Distribution System (PDS). This system currently works on manual processes. In this work, it is proposed that Smart Automated Ration Disbursal System (SARDS) using IoT replace the manual processes in PDS. This system consists of Embedded Controllers for online biometric authentication of the consumer, smart measuring for accurate disbursal of the commodities and real-time updating of data on the server. A prototype system to demonstrate its working is built using Arduino and Raspberry Pi controllers. An automatic dispensing system for solid as well as liquid commodity is fabricated and interfaced with the controllers using solenoid valves and sensors. Robust feedback is built into the system using sensors for accurate disbursal of material and detection of theft. Finally, experimental results showing accuracy of delivery of material and time required to process one consumer request are tabulated and analyzed. This system, when deployed in actual field, is expected to be operational 24x7 and ensure safe, secure, fast and corruption-free distribution of Ration commodities to the general public

scholarly journals A Review on E-Ration Card System

2020 ◽  
pp. 51-53
Author(s):  
Snehal S. Golait ◽  
Lutika Kolhe ◽  
Snehal Rahangdale ◽  
Anjali Godghate ◽  
Prajakta Sonkusare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Distributed System ◽  
Smart Card ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Manual Work ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Distribution System ◽  
The World ◽  
Card System ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Web

The Public Distribution System in India is the largest retail system in the world. Major problem in this system are the inefficiency in the targeting of beneficiaries, improve weighing machines used an illegal selling of goods. Automated public ration distributed system aim to replace the manual work in Public Distribution System there by reducing the corruption an illegal selling of stock. This paper gives the review on the E- Ration card system to distribute the grains automatically. The proposed system is used the conventional ration card which is replaced by smart card by using RIFD card. The RFID card redirect to the web of the shop , the required item are selected and payment is done and then item are collected from the machine. In this system, the government has control overall transaction that occurs in the ration shop and all the stock records are updated to the government databases so as to refill the stock with material thereby reducing the corruption.

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