1. Effective use of Public Distribution System by BPL (Below Poverty Line) card holders of Ernakulum district . Researcher – Kiran Babu C.R
2. Objective To study about the quality of product and consumer satisfaction.
3. Review In India the Public Distribution System (PDS) evolved as a system of management of scarcity and for distribution of food grains at affordable prices. Over the years, PDS has become an important part of Government’s policy. The Public Distribution System (PDS) accounts for about one-third of total subsidy expenditure of the Government of India and about three percent of the GNP. PDS is said to distribute commodities worth more than Rs 15,000 crore to about 16 core families.
4. Cont…… In June 1997, the Government of India launched the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) with focus on the poor. In India 70.5 per cent of rural households either possessed no card or held an APL card. Since households with APL cards are effectively excluded from the PDS, the majority of rural households in India are excluded from the PDS(UNDP)
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6. Universe of study The universe consists of all the BPL ration card holders of Ernakulum district. Sampling method Multi stage sampling method, where the respondents (BPL cardholders) from 2 panchayats, 2 municipalities and one corporation were selected from Ernakulum district .
7. Major findings Only 30% of the respondents are satisfied with products supplied from PDS. Among the provisions, rice was found to be of low quality. 63.3% of the respondents said more often the prescribed quantity was not available, and that there is considerable need for change in the system.
9. SUGGESTION PDS is supposed to ensure the right to life of the poorest of the community. The emerging policy changes such as stringent beneficiary selection criteria, reducing quantity of rice per family from 35 to 25 kgs, and increase of price from Rs.2 to 3 per kilo, do not give a rosy picture. Policy makers should keep the interest of the poorest of the society at center of the budgetary allocation decision to enhance wider reach availability accessibility and affordability .
