The running of India's public distribution system, the largest of its kind in the world, has many shortcomings with poor perception amongst the public, an officially sponsored survey has revealed.
The survey by leading consultancy, AC Nielsen ORG-MARG, compiled so far in an interim report -- made exclusively available to PTI -- and yet to be formally submitted to the food ministry, shows low offtake or lifting of food by the masses and low satisfaction levels amongst many for different traits of the targeted PDS.
In the national capital itself over 40 per cent of those surveyed and having ration cards were not lifting grains from ration shops, while the figure was 33 per cent in neighbouring Haryana and a whopping 63 per cent in West Bengal.
Amongst those who have not lifted grains in the last one year, a significant 30.2 per cent in Assam attributed it to unacceptable or poor 'quantity' and another 17.4 per cent to high issue prices. The same two reasons were given by a combined 44 per cent in Delhi, while 10.3 per cent said it was due to irregular opening of the ration shop.
In Assam, one-fourth of the respondents were "somewhat dissatisfied" with the quality of the commodities. The figure was 28.5 per cent in Haryana, 33 per cent in West Bengal and 24.2 per cent in Manipur.
The interim report evaluates the TPDS and Antyodaya Anna Yojana in eight states and union territories, while the overall survey, expected to be the most comprehensive study so far of the ration shop regime, is still underway.
When contacted, official sources said the idea of the evaluation study and survey is to pinpoint the loopholes in the ration shop regime and plug them at the earliest and not to dismantle the whole system as might be perceived by some.
When queried about the quality issued against entitlement, 31 per cent were somewhat dissatisfied or dissatisfied in Assam. In Delhi, the figure was much lower at 11 per cent and higher at 48.4 per cent in Haryana and 33 per cent in West Bengal.
Regarding regularity of the availability of items, 30.6 per cent were somewhat dissatisfied or dissatisfied in West Bengal, while the corresponding figure was 22.6 per cent in Assam, 35.4 per cent in Haryana and 8.6 per cent (Delhi).
In West Bengal, 78.3 per cent of the respondents felt the quality of rice in ration shops was "bad" or "sometimes bad". The view was the same of 40.5 per cent in Assam.
Nevertheless, the overall satisfaction level with TPDS is quite high if all the traits are accounted for and the maximum in the two "somewhat dissatisfied" or "dissatisfied" categories are in Haryana state at 22.1 per cent.
Nearly 79 per cent in Delhi and 72 per cent in Assam were either satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the system.
Critics, however, point out the respondents' base had gone down quite considerably when perception about the PDS was studied since only those who lifted grains in the last one year were surveyed for the purpose.
Sources said sample for the survey was very comprehensive including respondents from both the genders, urban and rural households, all age-groups and major castes of a state. The respondents were 600 each in all the states surveyed except Assam where the base was 800.
To hit at the bottom of the PDS problems, offtake will have to be increased in the first place. Since a significant number of those eligible for grains under the regime were not availing its benefit, the purpose of the entire facility was lost, they said.
A number of reasons were there for the low offtake. Many of those eligible beneficiaries lacked the adequate purchasing power. In Dadra and Nagar Haveli 16.1 per cent of those not purchasing grains from the ration shop attributed this as the reason. In Haryana the corresponding figure was 7.6 per cent but was considerably higher at 23.8 per cent amongst the below the poverty line (BPL) respondents.
In Assam 21.6 per cent of the BPL persons "surveyed and having ration cards" said they were not purchasing grains as stocks were not available in the ration shops.
In Haryana where one-third of the respondents were not lifting grains, 39.7 amongst the BPL persons attributed it to the hostility of the retailer and 38.1 per cent to stocks not being available at ration shop and 20.6 per cent to timings not being suitable.
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