PDS Scheme: Public Distribution System for Distribution of food grains and commodities

Public Distribution System Scheme or PDS Scheme is social welfare scheme for Distribution of food grains and commodities to poor people across India . The Public Distribution System (PDS) evolved as a system of management of scarcity through distribution of food grains at affordable prices.

Over the years, PDS has become an important part of Government’s policy for management of food economy in the country. PDS is supplemental in nature and is not intended to make available the entire requirement of any of the commodities distributed under it to a household or a section of the society.

PDS is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State/ UT Governments. The Central Government, through Food Corporation of India (FCI), has assumed the responsibility for procurement, storage, transportation and bulk allocation of food grains to the State Governments.

The operational responsibility including allocation within State, identification of eligible families, issue of Ration Cards and supervision of the functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) etc., rest with the State Governments.

Under the Public Distribution System Scheme, presently the commodities namely wheat, rice, sugar and kerosene are being allocated to the States/UTs for distribution. Some States/UTs also distribute additional items of mass consumption through the PDS outlets such as pulses, edible oils, iodized salt, spices, etc.

The Public Distribution System (PDS) in the country facilitates the supply of food grains and distribution of essential commodities to a large number of poor people through a network of Fair Price Shops at a subsidized price on a recurring basis.

With a network of more than 51879 lakh Fair Price Shops claiming to distribute annually, commodities worth more than Rs 15,000 crore to about 30 crore families, the PDS in India is perhaps the largest distribution network of its type in the world.

The Indian food security system was established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to distribute food and non-food items to India’s poor at subsidised rates.

Major commodities distributed include staple food grains, such as wheat, rice, sugar and essential fuels like kerosene, through a network of fair price shops (also known as ration shops) established in several states across the country. Food Corporation of India, a government-owned corporation, procures and maintains the public distribution system (PDS).

Distribution of food grains to poor people throughout the country is managed by state governments. As of 2011 there were 505,879 fair price shops (FPS) across India. 

Under the Public Distribution System Scheme, each family below the poverty line is eligible for 35 kg of rice or wheat every month, while a household above the poverty line is entitled to 15 kg of food grain on a monthly basis.

A below poverty line card holder should be given 35 kg of food grain and the card holder above the poverty line should be given 15 kg of food grain as per the norms of PDS. However, there are concerns about the efficiency of the distribution process.

Eligibility for PDS Scheme

• Should be an Indian citizen
• All families below the poverty line.
• Any family which does not have a member between ages 15 and 59 years of age.
• Any family which has a disabled member is also eligible to avail of benefits under Pradhan Mantri Awas Gramin Yojana
• Those who do not have a permanent job and only engage in casual labour.

Benefits of PDS Scheme

• 35 kg of rice or wheat every month, while a household above the poverty line is entitled to 15 kg of food grain on a monthly basis.
• Being implemented as One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)to enable migrant workers to receive the food grains wherever they are working.