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Evaluation of Targeted PDS carried out by plan body, World Bank: Thomas
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Wednesday, 10 August, 2011, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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Minister of state for consumer affairs, food & public distribution K V Thomas in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Tuesday informed that evaluation studies of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) have been done by several agencies including the Planning Commission and World Bank.
He added that as per the report of the Programme Evaluation Organisation (PEO) of the Planning Commission on Performance Evaluation of TPDS (2005), the implementation of TPDS is hampered due to targeting errors, prevalence of bogus cards and diversion of food grains from the supply chain. The World Bank has prepared a report titled Social Protection for a Changing India (2011), which deals with key safety net, social assistance and social security programmes including the PDS. The report indicates that there is a gap between the release of food grains by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the offtake of food grains by the households, which is due to leakages / diversion of allocated food grains.
The minister said that TPDS was operated under the joint responsibility of Central government and state / UT governments. The Central government is responsible for procurement, allocation and transportation of food grains upto the designated depots of the FCI. The operational responsibilities for lifting and distributing the allocated food grains within the states / UTs, identification of eligible BPL families, issuance of ration cards to them and supervision over distribution of allocated food grains to eligible card-holders through the Fair Price Shops (FPSs) are of the state / UT governments.
Government closely monitors the action taken by state / UT governments in respect of irregularities noticed in the implementation of TPDS. Complaints as and when received by government from individuals and organisations, as well as through press reports are sent to the concerned state / UT governments for inquiry and action.
“During the year 2010, 174 complaints relating to implementation of TPDS were received, which have been sent to the states / UTs. Government also regularly issues advisories to state / UT governments and reviews their performance during meetings and conferences. Periodic reporting has been prescribed and utilisation certificate for the food grains allocated are obtained from the state / UT governments,” Thomas added.
The minister said that strengthening and streamlining of TPDS is a continuous process. In consultation with the state / UT governments, a Nine Point Action Plan was evolved in 2006, which inter-alia includes continuous review of BPL / AAY list and to eliminate bogus / ineligible ration cards along with strict action to be taken against the guilty to ensure leakage free distribution of food grains. To improve functioning of TPDS, states / UTs have also been advised to ensure timely availability of food grains at FPSs, greater transparency in functioning of TPDS, improved monitoring and vigilance at various levels and introduction of new technologies such as computerisation of TPDS operations at various levels.
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