Ration shops as nourishing centres

Source: The post is based on the article “Ration shops as nourishing centres” published in The Indian Express on 1^st May 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Agriculture – Public Distribution System (PDS)

Relevance: measures needed to improve PDS system.

News: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) wheat procurement has crossed 20 million tonnes (MT), a notch higher than last year. However, there are concerns over procurement and production of wheat.

What are the concerns with the procurement and production of wheat?

Procurement: In the beginning of the season, it was estimated that FCI would procure 34 MT of wheat. However, the FCI hopes to procure 25 MT of wheat due to loss caused by unseasonal rains. FCI also relaxed its quality parameters to accommodate lustre loss or shrivelled grain, etc. for procurement.

This amount would be sufficient for FCI’s Public Distribution System (PDS) needs and there are also enough rice stocks available with the FCI to substitute wheat, if needs arise.

Production: There has been uncertainty over the wheat production this year due to unseasonal rains. Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) had estimated 112 MT of wheat production. But after unseasonal rains, the revised estimate is yet to come.

However, despite unseasonal rains, it is estimated that production of wheat this year is higher than last year, especially in Punjab.

In Punjab, farmers who had done zero tillage and had mulched paddy straw at the time of sowing wheat through smart happy seeders have not suffered much due to unseasonal rains while others are expecting much lower yields.

Moreover, it is also important to promote nutritious crops in the PDS along with their cultivation, acting as alternative to wheat or rice.

How can PDS be used to offer more nutritious food and support climate-resilient agriculture?

Nutritious Food Hubs (NFHs): At least 10 percent of five lakh odd fair price shops should be declared as Nutritious Food Hubs (NFHs). These NFHs will have fortified as well as bio-fortified rice and wheat, millets, pulses, oilseeds, fortified milk and edible oils, eggs, etc.

Further, the consumers of PDS list may be given electronic vouchers (like an e-food coupon) that can be charged by the government three or four times a year.

This amount can be loaded on e-vouchers of targeted beneficiaries. It would create a demand for more diversified and nutritious food from the masses.

Climate-resilient agriculture: Rice procurement may be limited by promoting other climate resilient crops in the PDS, starting with those areas where the water table has been drastically decreasing.

Farmers in these areas may be provided incentives to cultivate millets, pulses, oilseeds, and other crops that require less water and fertiliser. Thus, reducing their reliance on electricity and fertiliser subsidies.

The Centre and the states need to join hands to give a special package for carbon credits for growing such crops.