Dataset Information

The Public Distribution System and Food Security in India.

ABSTRACT: The Public Distribution System (PDS) of India plays a crucial role in reducing food insecurity by acting as a safety net by distributing essentials at a subsidised rate. While the PDS forms a cornerstone of government food and nutrition policy, India continues to be home to a large population of hungry and malnourished people. This review seeks to explore the functioning and efficiency of the PDS in achieving food and nutritional security in India. A comprehensive and systematic search using the key terms "food insecurity" OR "food security" AND "Public Distribution System" OR "PDS" OR "TPDS" AND "India" identified 23 articles which met the inclusion criteria. This review draws attention to the lack of published literature in areas of PDS and food security in India. The findings of the review emphasise the role of PDS in tackling hunger and malnutrition while highlighting its limited role in improving food security and childhood mortality due to operational inefficiencies. The PDS has the potential to act as a solution to food insecurity in India if the operational inefficiencies and environmental footprints are addressed by adequate policy reforms.

SUBMITTER: George NA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6747310 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The Public Distribution System and Food Security in India.

George Neetu Abey NA McKay Fiona H FH

International journal of environmental research and public health 20190903 17

The Public Distribution System (PDS) of India plays a crucial role in reducing food insecurity by acting as a safety net by distributing essentials at a subsidised rate. While the PDS forms a cornerstone of government food and nutrition policy, India continues to be home to a large population of hungry and malnourished people. This review seeks to explore the functioning and efficiency of the PDS in achieving food and nutritional security in India. A comprehensive and systematic search using the ...[more]

PMID: 31484374

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Project description:BackgroundLarge scale public investment in Public Distribution System (PDS) have aimed to reduce poverty and malnutrition in India. The PDS is the largest ever welfare programme which provides subsidised food grain to the poor households. This study attempt to examine the extent of stunting and underweight among the children from poor and non-poor households by use of public distribution system (PDS) in India.MethodsData from the National Family and Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4), was used for the analysis. A composite variable based on asset deprivation and possession of welfare card provided under PDS (BPL card), was computed for all households and categorised into four mutually exclusive groups, namely real poor, excluded poor, privileged non-poor and non-poor. Real poor are those economically poor and have a welfare card, excluded poor are those economically poor and do not have welfare card, privileged poor are those economically non-poor but have welfare card, and non-poor are those who are not economically poor and do not have welfare card. Estimates of stunting and underweight were provided by these four categories. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for the analysis.ResultsAbout half of the children from each real poor and excluded poor, two-fifths among privileged non-poor and less than one-third among non-poor households were stunted in India. Controlling for socio-economic and demographic covariates, the adjusted odds ratio of being stunted among real poor was 1.42 [95% CI: 1.38, 1.46], 1.43 [95% CI: 1.39, 1.47], among excluded poor and 1.15 [95% CI: 1.12, 1.18], among privileged non-poor. The pattern was similar for underweight and held true in most of the states of India.ConclusionsUndernutrition among children from poor households those excluded from PDS is highest, and it warrants inclusion in PDS. Improving the quality of food grains and widening food basket in PDS is recommended for reduction in level of malnutrition in India.

Project description:Food fortification is a powerful strategy to reach large populations with multiple micronutrients added to a single food vehicle. The impact depends on the sustained provision and utilization of adequately fortified food by a large population (mainly in low-income and food-insecure settings). We apply a value chain (VC) analysis framework to diagnose and address the barriers to the uptake of encapsulated ferrous fumarate double fortified salt (DFS) distributed through public-sector-led DFS interventions in India.We adapt the VC requirements framework proposed by Henson and Humphrey to identify and categorize barriers along the DFS VC as technological, market-related, and policy-related. We conducted a desk review of published and unpublished literature on DFS and information available in the public domain, semi-structured interviews with VC stakeholders from the private sector, program data from implementing organizations, and participation in multistakeholder consultations on DFS.Major supply-side barriers were under-developed private markets, inconsistent demand from public markets, unpredictable returns-on-investments, and inadequate business incentives to invest in DFS. The product's weak consumer orientation, uncreated consumer demand, low awareness of fortified foods, inadequate nutrition signaling were significant demand-side barriers. Technological barriers related to the requirement of high-grade salt for DFS production and residual organoleptic property of mild discoloration of food. Policy barriers related to inadequate and irregular financing for distributing subsidized DFS through the public distribution system; insufficient policy support for risk-sharing and managing costs associated with fortification; and a weak institutional environment for sustaining DFS interventions.Building an enabling institutional environment, demand creation through consumer awareness, strengthening institutional markets through public financing, managing cost and risks through public-private partnerships, and assuring quality during commercial scale-up are critical interventions necessary to ensure impact at scale.

Dataset Information

The Public Distribution System and Food Security in India.

Publications

The Public Distribution System and Food Security in India.

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