Concept
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- The Public Distribution System (PDS) is a state-administered, food-subsidy mechanism through which the Government of India procures foodgrains and essential commodities at Minimum Support Price (MSP).
- It stores grain in FCI depots and distributes them to vulnerable households at zero-cost (since Jan 2024) through licensed Fair Price Shops (FPS) nationwide.
- It operates at the intersection of agricultural policy (procurement), fiscal policy (subsidy), social policy (welfare), and governance (delivery).
- NFSA 2013 elevated PDS from a discretionary scheme to a statutory right, guaranteeing subsidised foodgrain to ~81.35 crore people (67% of population) classified as PHH(Priority House Holds) and AAY(Anthyodaya Anna Yojana) households.
- Historical and Theoretical Evolution
- Objectives and Significance of PDS
- Institutional Architecture of PDS
- Key Challenge in FCI:
- Ration Cards — Types, Entitlements, and Digitisation
- Fair Price Shops (FPS) — The Last-Mile Delivery Infrastructure
- Aadhaar Linking and ePoS Authentication
- Critical Evaluation
- Way Forward / Solutions
- International Best Practices
