UPSC Mains 2019 · GS III · Q13 · 15 marks · 250 words

What are the reformative steps taken by the Government to make food grain distribution system more effective?

हिन्दी में

अनाज वितरण प्रणाली को अधिक प्रभावी बनाने हेतु सरकार द्वारा कौन-कौन से सुधारात्मक कदम उठाए गए हैं?

Food Security and PDS

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “How do reforms in the Food Corporation of India strengthen Public Distribution System (PDS) efficiency and improve food security for vulnerable populations in India?”

ApsaraAIR 192 · CSE 2024 · 148 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a definition

Food Corporation of India is a procurement agency that buys produce from farmers when the market price falls below the MSP.

Body · points

Diagram
Farmer → FCI → Buffer stocks → PDS → Ration shops → People at MSP -------------------------------------------- Supply chain linkage --------------------------------------------

Reforms needed in FCI :

  1. Excessive procurement & maintence of buffer stocks ↳ increases storage needs & post harvest wastage
  2. Difficulty in transportation & distribution to public Distribution system
  3. Primitive storage infrastructure like cover & plinth storage,

Hence the reforms as suggested by Vijay Kelkar committee like FCI playing only the role of facilitator & supervisor rather the maintaining buffer should be followed.

Role in strengthening PDS :

  1. Effective delivery of stocks to PDS shop ↳ Reaches vulnerable sections of society.
  2. Playing only role of facilitator by FCI & maintaining buffer by warehouses ↳ enhances efficiency of FCI & its relation with PDS.
  3. Helps to address the poverty & hunger prevailing in vulnerable sections (as Rank in Global Hunger Index 111/125)

Close · no separate close

None written.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2019, General Studies Paper III, Q13. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.