Public Distribution System in India
“PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IN INDIA”
Sunil B. Bhosale1 & Pralhad N. Kamble2
1. Research Associate, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Gokhale Institute of Economics & Politics, Pune, Maharashtra(India)
Email-sunilbhosale2001@yahoo.com, sunilbhosle@gipe.ernet.in
2. Lecturer, Dept. of Economics, Shri. S.H. Kelkar College, Devgad, Dist-Sindhudurga, Maharashtra (India). Email-pralhadkamble@gmail.com
1) Introduction:-
In the context of national food security and poverty alleviation, it is essential to take a look at the “efficiency and efficacy” of the public distribution system (PDS), which has been operating as the food access mechanism for several decades. Proponents of the rationing system and its successor, the PDS, claim that these two measures have played an important role in ensuring higher levels of household food security and ``completely eliminating the threat of famines''.
It was the compulsions at the time of World War II that forced the then British Government to introduce the first structured public distribution of cereals in India through the rationing system -- sale of a fixed quantity of ration (rice or wheat) to entitled families (ration cardholders) in specified cities/towns. The Department of Food, under the Government of India, was created in 1942 to co-ordinate this arrangement. When the War ended, India, like many other countries, abolished the rationing system in 1943.
In the face of renewed inflationary pressures in the economy immediately after Independence, the Government had to reintroduce rationing in 1950. India retained public distribution of food grains as a deliberate social policy, when it embarked on the path of planned economic development in 1951. In the First Plan, the system, which was essentially urban-based till then, was extended to all such rural areas which suffered from chronic food shortages. Towards the end of the First Plan (1956), rationing had started losing its relevance due to
Sunil B. Bhosale1 & Pralhad N. Kamble2
1. Research Associate, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Gokhale Institute of Economics & Politics, Pune, Maharashtra(India)
Email-sunilbhosale2001@yahoo.com, sunilbhosle@gipe.ernet.in
2. Lecturer, Dept. of Economics, Shri. S.H. Kelkar College, Devgad, Dist-Sindhudurga, Maharashtra (India). Email-pralhadkamble@gmail.com
1) Introduction:-
In the context of national food security and poverty alleviation, it is essential to take a look at the “efficiency and efficacy” of the public distribution system (PDS), which has been operating as the food access mechanism for several decades. Proponents of the rationing system and its successor, the PDS, claim that these two measures have played an important role in ensuring higher levels of household food security and ``completely eliminating the threat of famines''.
It was the compulsions at the time of World War II that forced the then British Government to introduce the first structured public distribution of cereals in India through the rationing system -- sale of a fixed quantity of ration (rice or wheat) to entitled families (ration cardholders) in specified cities/towns. The Department of Food, under the Government of India, was created in 1942 to co-ordinate this arrangement. When the War ended, India, like many other countries, abolished the rationing system in 1943.
In the face of renewed inflationary pressures in the economy immediately after Independence, the Government had to reintroduce rationing in 1950. India retained public distribution of food grains as a deliberate social policy, when it embarked on the path of planned economic development in 1951. In the First Plan, the system, which was essentially urban-based till then, was extended to all such rural areas which suffered from chronic food shortages. Towards the end of the First Plan (1956), rationing had started losing its relevance due to
References: - 1) Ruddar Datta & Sundaram K.P.M.(2009)- "Indian Economy", S.Chand Publication New Delhi, P.- 519-521 4) Madhura Swaminathan(2001)- "Further Attack on PDS", Frontline,Vol.18, Issue 02, Jan 20- Feb.02. 5) Virmani Arvind & Rajiv P.V