1. Is Bengal’s PDS doing well?

2. This presentation is based on the findings of the sample surveys on the Public Distribution System (PDS), conducted in rural West Bengal and six other states
Focus is on the performance of the Public Distribution System after the implementation of the National Food Security Act (2013)
Conducted by student investigators in June ’16, July ’16 and September ’16 under Prof. Jean Dreze and Dr Reetika Khera
Investigators went from house to house and enquired about people’s ration cards, PDS (Public Distribution System) food grain purchases, and related matters

3. The Survey: West Bengal
7 states- Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Tripura
The sample villages in West Bengal:
Bankura- Machila, Surbhaga Band, Kiasol and Dhobargram
Birbhum- Chak Dhara, Beran and Paikpara
Within a sample village, the investigators covered all households
In West Bengal, 618 households and 2,997 individuals were covered

4. Bengal’s PDS before NFSA
Evolution of the Public Distribution System
PDS, till 1992, was untargeted
RPDS (1992) to improve the reach
Launch of TPDS (1997) and AAY (2000) with specific target
Bengal’s PDS before NFSA
PDS leakages: 81% ( )
PDS leakages: 65% ( )
Food security coverage (BPL and AAY) 48% before NFSA.

5. National Food Security Act (2013)
Objective: Food and nutritional security
Coverage: Upto 75% (rural population) and 50% (urban population)
West Bengal: 2015
Category
Foodgrain Entitlement (in kgs)
Price (per kg)
Priority, Special Priority and RKSY-1
5 per person
Rs. 2 (Rice), Rs (Atta) & Rs. 2 (Wheat)
Antyodaya Anna Yojana
35 per household
Rs. 2 (Rice) & Rs. 2 (Wheat)
RKSY- 2
2 per person
Rs. 9 (Rice) & Rs. 13 (Atta)

6. Household Checklist (Part 1)

7. Household Checklist (Part 2)

8. Selected Survey Findings: West Bengal
Food Security Coverage
Proportion of sample households with a ration card (%)
[Before NFSA (BPL, AAY)]
[After NFSA (PHH, SPHH, RKSY-1, AAY)]
West Bengal 48 87
Source: House-to-house survey of 618 households in 7 randomly selected villages in two districts

9. Selected Survey Findings: West Bengal
Entitlements and Actual Purchases
Average Purchase of PDS foodgrains, as % of entitlments
(preceding month)
(normal month)
West Bengal 94 95
Notes:
All households under Priority, Special Priority, RKSY-1 and AAY are considered
“Entitlements” refers to what a household is entitled as per its ration card
Source: House-to-house survey of 618 households in 7 randomly selected villages in two districts.

10. Selected Survey Findings: West Bengal
Exclusion (“missing names”) and Quality of PDS Grain
Proportion of “missing names” in ration cards (%)
Proportions of households who felt quality of PDS grain is “good” or “fair” (%)
West Bengal 12 54
Notes:
Priority, Special Priority and RKSY-1 households are considered;
missing names = household member not received the card
Source: House-to-house survey of 618 households in 7 randomly selected villages in two districts.

11. Case Study: Dhobargram
House-to-house survey (2015): 29 households with BPL or AAY card
House-to-house survey (July, 2016): 91 households on NFSA list
Major gains are possible if the NFSA is well implemented!

12. NFSA Survey 2016: Selected Findings
Proportion of sample households with a ration card (%) (after NFSA)
Average purchase of PDS food grains, as % of entitlements
(normal month)
Proportion of “missing names” in ration cards (%)
Tripura 63 99 11
Chhattisgarh 95 97 15
Odisha 88 8
Madhya Pradesh 84 98 6
West Bengal 87 12
Jharkhand 76 55
Bihar 83 17
Notes:
All households under NFSA are considered.
Source: House –to-house survey of 4,179 households in 48 randomly selected villages/hamlets across 7 states .

13. Is Bengal’s PDS doing well?
Rank according to the ‘Average purchase of PDS food grains, as % of entitlements’
Rank according to the ‘Proportion of “missing names” in ration cards (%)’
Odisha 1 2
Tripura 3
Madhya Pradesh
Chhattisgarh 4 5
West Bengal
Jharkhand 6
Bihar 7
Notes:
All households under NFSA are considered.
Source: House –to-house survey of 4,179 households in 48 randomly selected villages/hamlets across 7 states .

14. Is Bengal’s PDS doing well?
Latest entrant in the league of successful PDS reformers
Expansion of food security coverage [87% (2016) from 48% (2014)]
Transparent and methodical NFSA list
Drastic simplification in the ‘entitlement’ system
Sharp decline in PDS leakages (5% in a ‘normal month’)

15. Is Bengal’s PDS doing well?
Exclusion error & proportion of “missing names” (12%)
Poor quality of PDS grains (54% positive responses)
Lack of accountability of private dealers
PDS licenses are even hold hereditarily!
Sustainability and consolidation of reforms?

16. Suggestions Simplify the system to a 3 category system
State(s) to observe: Tripura
Simplify the eligibility criteria
Revise the NFSA list
State(s) to observe: Odisha, Tripura

17. Suggestions Improve the quality of PDS flour packets
Uniform provision of rice, a solution?
Uniform pricing (Rs 2/kg) for all PDS grains
State(s) to observe: Odisha, Tripura, and Chhattisgarh
Gradual de-privatization of the PDS shops
Community driven tech-based solutions, an alternative!
State(s) to observe: Chhattisgarh

18. Findings are tentative: Assembly elections and a small sample
Food security, a lively political issue!
PDS has improved in West Bengal, but it’s still not up to
the mark.
PDS reforms, durable or short-lived?
Thank you!