The document proposes solutions to problems with India's Public Distribution System (PDS). It suggests implementing a decentralized system with the following key elements: 1. States would manage grain distribution for their populations first, with surpluses stored in central reserves and shared with other states as needed. 2. District-level godowns would store and distribute grains proportionately to local distribution centers based on population. 3. Technological innovations like computerization, biometric identification, and automated dispenser machines would be implemented to increase efficiency. 4. Mutual adoption agreements between states could help address regional shortages and surpluses. Central monitoring of the reformed system would aim to reduce leakages and better target

1. PLUGGING THE
LEAKS IN PDS -
Sparking a changeSparking a change
SparksInc .
(Apoorvaa,Aditi,Anubha,Prac
hi,Sakshi)

2. PROBLEMS IN THE CURRENT
SYSTEM

3. FARMERS FCI STATE
GODOWN
FPS
•MSP not fixed in
accordance to farmers
need .
•Buying of poor quality
crops.
•Every state does not
have a designated FCI
godown.
•No door delivery to FPS
/agents in remote areas
of most states.
•Transport charges is to
be beared by FPS
PROCUREMENT DISTRIBUTION
crops.
•Insufficient quantity of
crop available to be
bought by the
government
godown.
•Lifting of stock done by
contracted private
transportation.
be beared by FPS
owners which is
reflected in retail price
of the commodity.
•FPS are not viable in
villages with population
less than 500.
• Govt. spends Rs. 3.65 to send just Re.1 worth of material to the intended
beneficiaries
• Out of a spending of about Rs.7000 crore, Rs.3000 crore is wasted on leakages &
divergences.

4. PROPOSED SOLUTION
A SNAPSHOT

5. POLICY RELATED
State manages grains from its own produce for its people•State manages grains from its own produce for its people
first.
•Agreement of mutual adoption between 2 states – state
asks partner state for what it lacks, with Central Ministry
acting as arbitrator
•Surplus production from every state to be stored in FCI
godowns, for national emergencies/supply to still
deficient states
•All transactions to be computerized – procurement,
distribution, communication, scheduling, reports
•Centralized database at the Ministry of Consumer
Welfare, Food & Distribution
•Biometric identification systems to keep track of
genuine consumers
•Automatic dispenser machines to store & dispense
grains at Distribution Centres – releases sealed packets
of commodities to consumer at the swipe of smart card.
PROCUREMENT IT
TECHNOLOGICALPOLICY RELATED
INNOVATIONS
•Involvement of local people & NGOs at
grassroots level distribution
•Automatic dispenser machines for withdrawal
of sealed packets of commodities, on the use of
smart card by consumer.
•Use of high grade plastic, dismantle-able
structures for grain storage
•Can be assembled/dis-assembled on any open
space, at demand
•Easy transportation & storage when not in use
•Excellent protection from weather & animals
•Low cost – less than Rs. 3000 per sq. ft of the
sheet
DISTRIBUTION LOW COST INFRASTRUCTURE
TECHNOLOGICAL
INNOVATIONS

6. DETAILS OF THE SOLUTION
 PROCUREMENTS
 DISTRIBUTION
 ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES
 TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS
 FUNDING

8. • MSP should be fixed by panel of economists appointed by the ministry in
conjunction with other departments. Central government should link
nationalised banks and maintain centralised database of farmers should be
maintained by the centre. MSP should be paid to the farmers through
nationalised banks so that a farmer can withdraw as much as he needs and earn
interest on the rest.
• FCI godowns to store grains for national emergencies/supply to still deficient
states
CENTRE LEVEL
• The state produce should first be used to feed its own people and then share the• The state produce should first be used to feed its own people and then share the
surplus with the entire nation through FCI .
• The produce should be distributed proportionally to district godowns on basis of
STATE FOR
ITSELF
(INTRODUCTIO • The produce should be distributed proportionally to district godowns on basis of
population.
• These district godowns to be closely monitored by state level department of
food. Each district godowns is responsible only for distribution centre lying within
its boundary.
(INTRODUCTIO
N OF THE
CONCEPT OF
DISTRICT
GODOWNS)
• A state lacking in product A but having excess of product B signs a MoU
with another state having excess of A and shortage of B.
• The pair of states will be selected keeping in mind minimum distance, to
reduce transport cost, relative size of population and limit paper work to
eradicate time delay due to long hierarchy.
MUTUAL
ADOPTION
BETWEEN
STATES (NEW
INNOVATION)

9. 2. DISTRIBUTION

10. DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
Distribution
centre
District
godown
Ministry
State
Dept of
food
FCI
Partner
state
TRANSPORTATION:
Monthly transportation of allocated
quota from district godown to the
• Run by cooperative societies formed by gram
panchayat /municipal members.
• NGO’s to assist local people in running the
distribution centre by providing training and
MANPOWER
quota from district godown to the
distribution centre in that district within
first 7 days of month.
All transport vehicles and drivers are
state employees ,and can be sourced
from the targeted group of people.
DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OF
FOOD:
To procure grains from
producers/states under State
department directives and stores in its
own godowns.
Monthly distribution to distribution
centres within its boundaries.
distribution centre by providing training and
raising awareness of rights.
• Every transaction to be done on computers.
• Either in local community building or in low
cost, high grade plastic, dismantle-able
structures that can be built up in any open
space
AUTOMATION
• Computerized book-keeping and reports of all
transactions sent to the centralized database
• Biometric identification system of genuine
consumers
• Automatic dispenser machines to store sealed
packets of commodities & release them to
consumer at the swipe of smart card
STORAGE

11. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
OF RESPONSIBILITIES

12. commodities
• Maintain Centralized database of – farmers & their payments, employees at each level,
consumers & their transactions
• Make efforts for finding the poverty line on the basis of National Census data( to be
revised every 10 years with each new census) & fix minimum paying price to farmers
from whom grain is procured directly by their respective State governments, every 2
years – more frequently in case of national emergency of some sort (eg: drought, flood,
etc.)
• Oversee the execution of the MoU for between partner states for exchange of
commodities
Central Govt
• Procure food grains from farmers of own State and make transportation arrangements
to send these to each District godown in the State
• Keep stringent checks on whether the DC Inspection officers and Consumer Grievance
Redressal officers maintain their schedules or not.State Dept Redressal officers maintain their schedules or not.
• Maintain contact with the State Department of its partner state
•Send monthly reports to the Ministry
State Dept
• District Inspection Officer - fortnightly & surprise inspections at each DC within their district
• District Grievance Redressal Officer – to address consumer complaints
• Send fortnightly reports to the State Department
District Dept
• Supply of commodities to the consumers
• Running of awareness campaigns and manpower training programmes for local people to
involve them in the running of the DC, by the associated NGO of that DC
• Send fortnightly reports to the State Department
Distribution
Centre

13. 4. TECHNOLOGICAL
INNOVATIONS
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
All transactions to be computerized.
Centralized database.
LOW COST INFRASTRUCTURE
Use of high grade plastic,dismantleable
structures for grains storage.
Can be assembled/dis-assembled on anyCentralized database.
Biometric identification system to keep
track of genuine consumers.
Automatic dispenser machines to
store&dispense grains at distribution
centres-releases sealed packets of
commodities to consumer at the swipe
of smart card.
Can be assembled/dis-assembled on any
open space,at demand.
Easy transportation and storage when
not in use.
Excellent protection from weather and
animals.
Low cost –Rs 3000 per sq.ft of the sheet.

14. 5. FUNDING

15. SAVING COST OF
TRANSPORTATION
Given solution saves
transportation cost of
grain produce from
AVOIDANCE OF CROP
WASTAGE
Efficient storage &
packing saves about
60% of the produce
EFFICIENT & ROBUST
SYSTEM
About Rs 3000 crore
is wasted due to
leakages &
divergences in the
current system. Givengrain produce from
state to centre (FCI
godowns) and back
to states .Savings can
be invested for
automation of the
system.
60% of the produce
that was earlier
wasted. This produce
can be exported &
revenue can be
earned.
current system. Given
solution can save at
least 10% of this
amount, and this
saved amount can
then be used for
improving existing
infrastructure.

16. BENEFITS

17. • Food available to all (our basic motive).• Food available to all (our basic motive).
• Better living conditions as a result of better economic
policies.
• Proper food + economic opportunities + better living
conditions->all round development and progress of
individuals->all round development of the nation .
SOCIAL
• Better financial position of farmers(proper MSP earned• Better financial position of farmers(proper MSP earned
+ interest from bank)
• Reduction in crop wastage ->greater export + greater
revenue production
• Employment facilities generated at all levels
• No leakage or adulteration of crop produced
• No privatisation ->leakage reduced
ECONOMIC

18. RISKS & CHALLENGES

19. NATIONAL
LEVEL
• Funding for creation of centralized database software
• Identification of targeted beneficiaries & collection of biometric prints from them
• Funding for the high-tech machines needed.
• Implementation of automations will take atleast 1 more year than the
implementation of policy solutions
• Appeasement of different ruling parties in different states.
• Inherent corruption in the government.
STATE
• Opposition of states against losing their monopoly of functioning as they wish to the
Centre as proposed in this solution.
• Opposition of ruling political party of one state to form viable partnerships with states
with different ruling parties.STATE
LEVEL
with different ruling parties.
• Tampering & adulteration of procured food grains.
LOCAL
LEVEL
• Finding an appropriate NGO to train local people.
• Resistance from local goons to taking over of FPS by cooperative societies.
• Lack of awareness among intended beneficiaries.
• Allocation & efficient running of automatic dispenser machines, biometric
identification devices & computers to all DCs.

21. Every system has some commendable aspects & some
loopholes. The biggest problem today for successfully
implementing PDS is the shortage of honest, dedicated
people – for corruption is an evil that has plagued many
a hearts in our country.
But where there is will, unity, a great action plan and
most importantly, hope and faith in the power of future,
no problem is unsolvable.
Even the word “Impossible” says “I m Possible”
The duty of educated citizens of the nation today, is to
recognize the loopholes and contribute their own two
pence of work at their level of the hierarchy, because it is
the tiny drops of water that make up an ocean.
Here’s praying for a successful journey for our beloved
motherland…
ॐ भूभुवः॒ वः । त स॑िवतुवरे॑ यं ।
भ॒ग ॑ दे॒व य॑ धीम ह। । धयो॒ यो नः॑ चो॒दया॑त ्॥ ।

22. REFERENCESREFERENCES

23. PEOPLE
1.Mr. O.P. Singhal, HoD, CSE Department, IPEC, Ghaziabad
2.Dr. KC Tripathi, Asso. Professor, IPEC, Ghaziabad
3.Mrs. Deepa Choudhary, Asso. Professor, IPEC, Ghaziabad
RESOURCES
1. Wadhwa Committee Report on Public Distribution System in India
2. Performance Evaluation of Targeted Public Distribution System
(TPDS) (Planning Commission 2005)(TPDS) (Planning Commission 2005)
3. Asia Development Bank
4. LSE India Blog
PHOTOGRAPHS/GRAPHICS SOURCES
1. freeppt.net
2. instablogs.com
3. managewell.net