The Targeted Public Distribution system was launched in 1997 by the Government of India with the objective of providing minimum quantity of essential commodities, i.e, food grains to the targeted people allover the country.Accordingly to identify the targeted people issue of BPL card was started and people were categorized into BPL and APL categories.Initially 10 kg of food grains per family per month was allotted at a rate much lower than the standard market rate.At present 35 kg of food grains are given to each family per month at a highly subsidized rate, i.e, rise @ Rs 5.65/kg and wheat @ 4.15/kg.Fair price shops have been established to distribute the ration items to the common people.
The policies:
- Maintaining a buffer stock to meet up the rising demands during scarcity.
- Arranging MSP for the farmers during scarcity
- Distribution of food grains from the surplus to deficit areas
- Identification of the genuine candidates.Very often deserving candidates do not get BPL cards whereas well off people walk away with the cards
- Political influence in the allotment of the cards
- Corruption of the government officials
- Absence of fair price shop all over the country
- Lack of supply of ration items in many fair price shops
- Any impartial body, for example the Judiciary should be given the task of identifying the poor people
- Criteria to identify the poor people are to be codified clearly by the government
- More fair price shops are to be established
- Well of people wth BPL cards should be given exemplary punishment
- Grievances regarding the issue of false cards, delay in distribution are to be heard by any impartial body
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