A new study by Raya Das, Ranjana Roy and Ashok Gulati mapping how the public distribution system (PDS) evolved and what the consumption data says about its effectiveness finds that about 28 per cent of the allocated grain fails to reach the intended beneficiaries, resulting in a monetary loss of Rs 69,108 crore. Besides this annual cost and the overall carrying cost, it is well established that the programme is insufficient to fulfil citizens’ nutritional needs. Given the expenditure and outcomes, it is time to revisit the programme and reorient it in a way that works for both the government and beneficiaries, the top edit points out. Read it here
In other views:
Mihir Sharma says the election showed that controlling inflation should be the primary focus of macro-policy. Read it here
The second edit makes the case for India to play a bigger role in Sri Lanka’s recovery. Read it here
Debashis Basu argues that Trumponomics, poor growth, and high valuation don’t make a bullish recipe for Indian markets. Read it here