Targeted Public Distribution System

The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) provides identified households with foodgrains through fair price shops at subsidised or prescribed prices. Its central food-security function is to protect minimum consumption by improving the economic and physical access of vulnerable people to staple food.

How TPDS supports food security

TPDS converts publicly procured and stored foodgrains into household entitlements. It primarily addresses affordability and access, while public stocks help maintain continuity of supply.

• Under the National Food Security Act, 2013, coverage extends up to 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population.
• Priority households are entitled to 5 kg per person per month, while Antyodaya Anna Yojana households receive 35 kg per household per month.
• Regular grain supply reduces exposure to market price increases and supports consumption among households with limited purchasing power.

Function during droughts and disasters

Disasters can simultaneously reduce food availability, incomes and market access. The network of fair price shops provides an established last-mile channel through which governments can sustain or augment grain distribution without creating an entirely new delivery system.

• Food entitlements protect consumption when crop loss, unemployment or asset depletion reduces household purchasing power.
• Public food stocks can stabilise supplies and reduce the risk that local scarcity becomes acute household hunger.
• Predictable access can limit distress responses such as reducing meals, selling productive assets or incurring high-cost debt.

Administrative design and limitations

The Central Government procures, stores and transports foodgrains to designated depots, while state governments identify eligible households, distribute grain within the state and supervise fair price shops. Effectiveness depends on reliable allocation, accurate beneficiary identification and accountable delivery.

• Exclusion errors can leave vulnerable households outside the system.
• Leakages, irregular supply and inaccessible shops can weaken actual food access.
• A cereal-focused system supports calorie security but cannot by itself ensure a diverse and nutritious diet.