What are the majour function of public distribution system?
Answers
The central and state governments share responsibilities to provide food grains to the identified recipients. The centre procures food grains from farmers at a minimum support price (MSP) and sells it to states at central issue prices. It is responsible for transporting the grains to godowns in each state. States hold the responsibility of transporting food grains from these godowns to each fair price shop (ration shop), where the beneficiary buys the food grains at the lower central issue price. Many states further subsidise the price of food grains before selling it to recipients. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is the nodal agency at the centre that is responsible for transporting food grains to the state godowns.
State governments also issue ‘ration cards’ to their residents (at one time on a nominally universal basis, but more recently on a ‘targeted’ basis), and determine the quantities to which consumers are entitled.
The food procured by FCI is distributed tthough government regulated ration shops among the poor section of the society. This is called Public Distribution system.
* It is the most important step taken by the grace of India towards ensuring food security.
* It's target is to provide benefits of PDS to remote and backward areas.