Public distribution system and its performance: A North East India perspective

Abstract

The Public Distribution System (PDS) is essentially a welfare programme that involves distribution of subsidized food grains to the needy and simultaneously it is also an instrument of food policy that influences the price mechanism and means to promote food grains production. It is the fact that The PDS is an essential component of government food management policy which operates through a network of Fair Price Shop (FPS). Government provides subsidized food grains to consumer primarily through the network of the FPS. The supply lines of PDS are fed either through import of foodgrains from abroad or procurement from domestic producer or both. This paper tries to analyze the performance of PDS with some macro indicators. More specifically, this paper tries to identify the effectiveness of PDS, identify the discrepancies in the system, find ways to remove the anomalies and to make the delivery mechanism more effective.