GS3 · 10 marks · 150 words

Despite a robust Public Distribution System (PDS), food security remains a challenge to the Indian population. What are the deficiencies in the current PDS system? Suggest reforms to improve the system.

Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2025

Food Security and PDS

Syllabus: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.

How toppers approached it

From all 3 answers · about 170 words · 67% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • A figure2 of 3
  • A date or context1 of 3

Body

  • Points2 of 3
  • Points and prose1 of 3

Close

  • No separate close1 of 3
  • A summary1 of 3
  • A way forward1 of 3

The toppers’ answers

Pakshal SecretryAIR 8 · CSE 2025 · 162 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a figure

67% of India's population (~80 crore) are covered under PDS, yet we rank 105 out 127 countries in Global Hunger Index 2023.

Deficiencies in PDS
1) High leakages as per Shanta Kumar Committee.
2) focus on wheat, rice (cereal) in PDS → no nutrient security
3) Quality Issues → poor quality of grain.
4) Inclusion and Exclusion error in Targeting of Beneficiaries

Body · points and prose

ues → poor quality of grain. | | 4) Inclusion and Exclusion error in Targeting of Beneficiaries |

  1. High food wastage (40% of total)
  2. Logistic and Targetting challenges → UP, Bihar → only 20% of grain despite 40% of total poor

Suggested Reforms

(A) Shanta Kumar Committee (i) Inclusion of oil, millets and nutritious food (ii) Better Targetting - 40% of population (iii) use of technology → GPS, CCTV to curb leakage

(B) Niti Aayog (iv) food voucher instead of subsidy (v) Imp. Decentralised Model → Outsourcing to state/private sector

Close

Economist like Ashok Gulati call for DBT instead of subsidy for better results

More on Food Security and PDS

The Public Distribution System, buffer stocks, the National Food Security Act, hunger and nutrition as a distribution problem.

All GS3 questions on Food Security and PDS