Public Distribution System, Food Security and Buffer Stocks
UPPSC syllabus: Mains: General Studies-III · 5. अप्रत्यक्ष एवं प्रत्यक्ष कृषि अनुदान तथा न्यूनतम समर्थन मूल्य से जुड़े मुद्दे, सार्वजनिक वितरण प्रणाली-उद्देश्य, क्रियान्वयन, परिसीमाएं, सुदृढ़ीकरण खाद्य सुरक्षा एवं बफर भण्डार, कृषि में तकनीकी अभियान। (Direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support price; public distribution system: objectives, functioning, limits, revamping; food security and buffer stocks; technology missions in agriculture)
Quick answer
The Public Distribution System supplies foodgrains at affordable prices through Fair Price Shops, run jointly by the Centre and States. The National Food Security Act, 2013 made food a legal entitlement for up to 75% of rural and 50% of urban people. For UPPSC Mains GS-III, know the evolution, entitlements, roles and limits.
Basic terms first
- Foodgrains
- Staple crops such as rice, wheat and coarse grains.
- Subsidy
- Part of the cost met by the government so that the price is lower.
- Ration card
- Document that shows a household's entitlement under the PDS.
- Fair Price Shop (FPS)
- Outlet through which PDS grain reaches households.
Key terms
- Public Distribution System (PDS)
- System that supplies foodgrains at affordable prices through Fair Price Shops.
- Targeted PDS (TPDS)
- PDS launched in June 1997 with a focus on the poor.
- Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)
- Category for the poorest households, entitled to 35 kg per family per month.
- Priority household
- Household entitled to 5 kg per person per month under the NFSA.
- Food Corporation of India (FCI)
- Central agency for procurement, storage, transport and bulk allocation of foodgrains.
- Central Issue Price
- The price at which foodgrains are issued to States for distribution.
How UPPSC frames this topic
This topic sits in Mains General Studies-III, on the syllabus line covering subsidies, minimum support price, the public distribution system, food security and buffer stocks. Expect Prelims facts on schemes, coverage and who runs what, and Mains questions that ask you to examine, evaluate or suggest reforms. Directive words usually require a short history, the legal basis, limits and a way forward.
Link the topic to the Uttar Pradesh perspective by naming the State's role under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
What is the Public Distribution System and how did it evolve?
The Public Distribution System (PDS) distributes foodgrains at affordable prices and is supplemental in nature: it is not meant to supply the entire requirement of any commodity to a household. It is run jointly by the Centre and the States and Union Territories.
| Year | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1960s | PDS grew out of the food shortages of the 1960s |
| 1970s and 1980s | Outreach widened to tribal blocks and poor areas |
| June 1992 | Revamped PDS launched for remote and hilly areas |
| June 1997 | Targeted PDS launched with a focus on the poor |
| 5 July 2013 | National Food Security Act, 2013 enacted |
The Revamped PDS covered 1775 blocks and issued grain at 50 paise below the Central Issue Price. The Targeted PDS was first meant for about 6 crore poor families, with about 72 lakh tonnes of foodgrains earmarked each year.
What does the National Food Security Act, 2013 provide?
The Act marks a shift from a welfare approach to a rights-based approach. It legally entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to subsidised foodgrains under the Targeted PDS.
| Category | Entitlement per month |
|---|---|
| Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) household | 35 kg per family |
| Priority household | 5 kg per person |
- Subsidised prices were Rs 3, 2 and 1 per kg for rice, wheat and coarse grains for the first three years from commencement on 13 July 2013.
- Later prices are fixed by the Centre but cannot exceed the minimum support price (MSP).
- The eldest woman of the household, aged 18 or above, is the head of the household for ration cards.
- Pregnant women and lactating mothers get a cash maternity benefit of not less than Rs 6,000.
Out of a maximum coverage of 81.34 crore persons, around 80 crore are covered at present.
Who does what: Centre, States and buffer stocks?
The Centre, through the Food Corporation of India (FCI), handles procurement, storage, transport and bulk allocation of foodgrains to States. States identify eligible families, issue ration cards and supervise Fair Price Shops. The FCI states that procurement aims to ensure MSP for farmers and affordable foodgrains for weaker sections.
| Level | Main responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Centre | Allocation, transport up to State depots, central assistance |
| FCI | Procurement, storage, transport, bulk allocation |
| State or UT | Identify households, ration cards, fair price shops |
- Procurement by FCI
- Storage in godowns
- Allocation to States
- Households identified by States
- Distribution at Fair Price Shops
A buffer stock is the stock of foodgrains the Centre holds in FCI storage so that supply for the PDS and food security needs is not interrupted. The pages used for this note do not give buffer norms, so no norm is stated here.
What are the limits of the PDS and how is it being revamped?
- PDS is supplemental, so households cannot rely on it for all their needs.
- Identification of beneficiaries is a continuous process: ineligible, fake and duplicate ration cards are removed and left-out households are added.
- Cash transfer of food subsidy is optional for States and Union Territories; the Cash Transfer of Food Subsidy Rules were notified in August 2015.
- The Direct Benefit Transfer experiment aims to reduce leakages, improve targeting and promote financial inclusion.
The NFSA portal lists tools such as ePoS distribution, the Integrated Management of PDS (IMPDS) and the Mera Ration app, which support the reform of the system. If a State fails to supply the entitled quantity, the person is entitled to a food security allowance from the State Government.
Uttar Pradesh angle
The Act is implemented in all States and Union Territories, so Uttar Pradesh identifies priority and Antyodaya households, issues ration cards and supervises Fair Price Shops within the coverage fixed for the State. State-wise coverage was determined by the Planning Commission, now NITI Aayog, using household consumption data for 2011-12. The Uttar Pradesh government portal lists AAPURTI among its key e-governance projects; the supplied pages do not describe its work, so no function is claimed. State-level beneficiary counts are not stated in the supplied sources.
Revision mind map
- Meaning: PDS is supplemental distribution of foodgrains at affordable prices
- Evolution: 1960s shortage; RPDS 1992; TPDS 1997; NFSA 2013
- Legal base: NFSA covers up to 75% rural and 50% urban
- Entitlement: AAY 35 kg per family; priority 5 kg per person
- Roles: Centre and FCI procure and allocate; States identify and distribute
- Reforms: ePoS, IMPDS, cash transfer option, women as household head
Memory aids
- 35-5: Antyodaya 35 per family, Priority 5 per person: The two monthly entitlement figures under the NFSA.
- 92-97-13: RPDS, TPDS, NFSA: Key years in the evolution of the PDS: 1992, 1997 and 2013.
FAQs
Who is covered under the National Food Security Act?
Up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population, identified by States.
Who identifies the beneficiaries?
State and Union Territory governments, within the coverage fixed for each State.
Sources: NFSA portal: National Food Security Act, 2013 (Department of Food and Public Distribution); NFSA portal: Public Distribution System; Food Corporation of India; Uttar Pradesh State Portal
Last verified: 2026-11-11
