Targeted Public Distribution System: Performance and Inefficiencies

Inspecting a number of Indian states, this book aims to examine the extent to which food grains disbursed under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) are actually reaching the most marginalized sections of Indian society. Filled with the latest data on the subject, this account argues that the success of the TPDS in meeting its stated objectives depends largely on the ability of the state governments to identify the genuinely poor families, to restrict the number of poor families to the number estimated by the Planning Commission, and to establish an effective and efficient delivery system. The findings and policy suggestions identified in this record seek to inspire a better-informed debate on food security and help promote new and innovative approaches for making the TPDS system more effective and pro-poor.