The Centre for Media Studies’ “India Corruption Study: 2010” states that 11.5 per cent of rural households paid bribes last year for public distribution system (PDS) services. This in a country in which 46 per cent of the children are underweight, according to the National Family Health Survey, 2006. The Global Hunger Index 2010 ranks India 67 out of 84 countries. China is ranked ninth.
In the Rajya Sabha, the government accepted the diversion of 39 per cent of rice and 53 per cent of wheat under PDS “because of inclusion errors, leakages through ghost ration cards and pilferage during transportation and from Fair Price Shops”.
In the Lok Sabha, the government stated that “it would not be possible to improve the PDS system unless the consumer, especially the poorest ones, become aware of their rights”.
We spent Rs 55,578 crore on the food subsidy in 2010-11. If 1 per cent of the food subsidy bill is spent on promoting transparency and information dissemination, we can build a strong nation.
Srinivas Madhav, Hyderabad
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