Technology-Enabled PDS in Rural-Urban India (A case study of two PDS shops in rural and urban India)

Abstract

Public Distribution System (PDS) is a system supervised or owned by the government for the distribution of essential commodities to the public. The idea and necessity of distributing essential commodities, prioritizing food requirements, has evolved in India over a long period of time. The post economic reforms and incremental legal enforcement of the Right to Food is visible in the metamorphosis of PDS. The complexities surrounding the PDS scheme have evolved over time. The divergence of poverty and hunger, changes in governance methods, the disparity of development in the urban and rural area; and the evolution of Indian democracy is visible in the current PDS mechanism. The Indian Government has over time achieved considerable food availability, yet the accessibility of food has remained a debated subject and various political regimes have tried to respond to this issue with innovative ideas. The TPDS scheme has played a crucial role in ensuring food security for the most vulnerable population in India. The introduction of NFSA has solidified the right to food as a justiciable right. During this period the TPDS scheme has been reported to have leakages and other problems. Meanwhile, the introduction of technology in governance is a global trend, and India recognised this and embraced technology in various Public Service Delivery systems and in the overall governance regime. The introduction of the Aadhar system is one of such innovative idea, among other technology enabled tools assisting PDS. Today, Aadhar is a crucial part of PDS and aims to improve the overall efficiency and transparency of PDS. Many researchers and activists have reported problems with the Aadhar authentication method employed in PDS. This study recognizes the disparities in urban and rural India, and highlights that at a beneficiary level the impact of technology enabled tools in PDS vary in urban and rural India. This is due to the socioeconomic disparities prevailing in these areas. This study is a beneficiary level case study of two FPS shops, one in urban New Delhi and one in rural Rajasthan. The study will showcase the disparities in the impact of technology enabled PDS tools in these FPS. Further, find the reasons for these disparities, analyse their impact and give recommendations.