Public Distribution System and its

role in ensuring Food Security

A Study among the BPL card holders of Panisokua Village in Jorhat
District of Assam

Presented by-
Rana Pratim Doley
Shiva Tanti
Kriti Sundar Das
Ishanu Boruah
Manash protim
Introduction:
• The issue of ensuring food security has a great importance in India.
• More than one third of the population is estimated to be absolutely poor
and one half of the children malnourished in one way or another.
• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), ‘food security
exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to
sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food
preferences for an active and healthy life.’
• India’s Public Distribution System (PDS) is the largest distribution of its
kind in the world.
• The paper highlights about food security provided by the PDS in the
study area.
Research Questions:
• To enquire whether the aim of food security has been achieved through PDS.
• To study whether the rural people are availing the food security through PDS in
Panisokua village or not.
• To study about present scenario of PDS and its contribution to food security in
Panisokua village.
 Research Methodology:
• We used both primary and secondary data in this study. The primary data was
collected direct from the field.
• We interviewed randomly 60 respondents for the study.
• We have collected the secondary data from books, co-operative society, fair price
shops and internet.
• Moreover, participatory observation was used to make meaningful interpretation of
the data.
Data Collection Method:
• Secondary Data: • Primary Data:
- Books - Interview
- Internet - Survey
- Website - Observation
Sampling Techniques:
Target Population: Every person belongs to priority Sampling Method:
households. They receive 5 kg of - Random Sampling
food grains per person per month.

Sample urame: We have given 100 questionnaire

and we have 60 respondents.

Sample Size: 60 respondents

Timelines:
Research Activity Description Planned Start Planned End Date Actual End Date
Date
Completion of Research Proposal

Completion of Secondary Research

Research Method and Questionnaire

Design

Conducting the Survey / Research

Data Analysis & Report Writing

Research Presentation
Questionnaire Design:
Quantitative Data: Yes

Qualitative Data: Yes

Screenshot of the Questionnaire:
1. Schedule:
(a) Name of the card holder:
(b) Age:
(c) Religion:
(d) Caste:
(e) Nature of the family: (nuclear/joint)
(f) No. of the family members:
(g) Family income sources: (Agriculture/daily wage earner/service/business)
(h) Education: Illiterate, primary, ME, HS, HSS, Graduate, Post Graduate
(i) Name of panchayat
(j) Availability of fair price shop (yes/no)
2. Types of Ration Card (PH/AAY)
3. Since how many years you have had this ration card? (Year of issue)
4. How did the procedure to get the card? (Briefly explain)
5. In an ordinary month how much food grain & what commodities do you normally get from the PDS outlet?
6. Are you financially able to purchase food grains from PDS outlet? (Yes/No)
7. Did you have to pay anyone any money to obtain your Ration card? (Yes/No)
8. How would you describe the importance of the PDS for your family’s food security and welfare? (Very important/quite important/not
important)
9. How much food grain (rice) does your household consume in a month? (___kg)
10. Cultivation done: (own consumption/commercial purpose/both)
10. Are you satisfied with the functioning of the local PDS? (Yes/no)
11. Do you have any suggestions for improving the PDS?
12. Did you notice any of the irregularities below in the maintenance of the ration card?
13. How would you describe the quality of the grain you received the last time? (poor/average /good)
14. An overall observation.
Scale used in the questionnaire:
Comparative scale: Non- comparative Scale:
• Category Comparison • Graphic Rating Scale
• Paired Comparison • Likert Scale
Data Analysis & Conclusion:
• Findings from the Research:
- Majority of the respondents have completed primary level education. They are
not aware about the provisions of NFSA,2013. It is needed to aware about the act
by any literate person in that context.
- Public Distribution System can ensure food security when the food grains will be
provided in proper time. So it can be suggested for a strong inspection by the
government authority to strengthen the Public Distribution System.
- The agents of Fair Price Shops are not getting their commissions, labour charges
and other expenses from the govt. So govt. should release their commissions as per
the rules.
- All the respondents are expecting to increase the quantity of food grains as it is
not enough for their daily requirement. So the government should take proper
initiatives to solve the problem.
 Suggestions-
• Majority of the respondents have completed primary level education. They are
not aware about the provisions of NFSA,2013. It is needed to aware about the
act by any literate person in that context.
• Public Distribution System can ensure food security when the food grains will be
provided in proper time. So it can be suggested for a strong inspection by the
government authority to strengthen the Public Distribution System.
• The agents of Fair Price Shops are not getting their commissions, labour charges
and other expenses from the govt. So govt. should release their commissions as
per the rules.
• All the respondents are expecting to increase the quantity of food grains as it is
not enough for their daily requirement. So the government should take proper
initiatives to solve the problem.
 Conclusion-
• From the study the researchers drawn the conclusion that Public
Distribution System is contributing to ensure the food security.
• After doing the research and collecting all the relevant data from sixty
respondents on the study topic, the researchers came to conclusion that
majority of the people had a positive view to the Public Distribution
System for ensuring their food.
• From the study the researchers came to know more about the different
dimensions of the study topic such as importance and functioning of the
PDS, different drawbacks and challenges about it.
• From the study it is revealed that the respondents are satisfied with the
functioning of PDS as they gave positive feedback.
Thank you