AN EVALUATION OF TARGETED PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA

The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is a major food subsidy program implemented by the Indian government to address this challenge. This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of the TPDS in achieving its objectives of ensuring access to adequate and nutritious food for vulnerable households. The paper begins by providing an overview of the historical context, tracing the issue of food security back to the colonial period and the subsequent introduction of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in the 1960s. It then focuses on the TPDS, which replaced the universal PDS in 1997 and aimed to target the needy households and reduce leakages and diversions. However, the TPDS has faced various challenges, including the identification of eligible beneficiaries, quality of food grains, and leakages. To evaluate the TPDS, the paper adopts a methodology that involves an extensive review of literature, household surveys, government reports, and newspaper articles. The implementation of the TPDS involves joint responsibilities between the central government and state/union territory governments. The identification of eligible households is an ongoing process, with the NFSA legally guaranteeing subsidized food grains to a large proportion of the population. The procurement of food grains occurs seasonally, and they are distributed through a network of Fair Price Shops (FPS) to beneficiaries. The evaluation of the TPDS reveals several challenges, including flaws in beneficiary identification, leakages, and poor quality of food grains. The paper highlights the government's initiatives to address these challenges, such as the use of technology for beneficiary identification, biometric authentication, and the establishment of monitoring mechanisms. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives remains to be seen. ______________________________________________________________________________ Keywords: Distribution, Food, Households, Security, Supply, Subsidy.