Give a brief description of the …

a. Public Distribution System (PDS) was established for the distribution of food grains among poor.

b. Presently, there are about 4.6 lakh ration shops in the country.

c. Ration shops also known as Fair Price Shops keep stock of food grains, sugar, kerosene oil for cooking. These items are sold to people at a price lower than the market price.

d. In the beginning the coverage of PDS was universal with no discrimination between the poor and non-poor.

e. Over the years, the policy related to PDS has been revised to make it more efficient and target oriented.

f. It is the most effective instrument of government policy over the years in stabilizing prices and making food available to consumers at affordable prices.

g. It averts widespread hunger and famine by supplying food from surplus regions of the country to the deficit ones.

h. It revises the prices of food grains in favor of poor household.

i. The declaration of minimum support price and procurement has contributed to an increase in food grains production and provided income security to farmers in certain regions.