-The Indian Express What is disturbing is that in the middle of the current crisis some are now calling for a massive downsizing of the PDS and a shift to cash transfers in place of foodgrains. The Public Distribution System has played an important role in providing relief to people in the aftermath of the national lockdown. With COVID-19 cases increasing and the economy continuing to be in a downturn, some corrective...

-Down to Earth The Union govt report had asked states to remove provisions that restricted migrants in accessing PDS benefits The Supreme Court asked the Union government on April 30, 2020 to consider adopting a ‘one nation, one ration card’ scheme for migrants stuck in cities due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. This has brought the spotlight on a 2017 government report on migration that emphasised that short-term migrants usually lose...

-ANI * 'We will implement the 'one nation, one ration card' scheme by June 1 in the whole country,' says Ram Vilas Paswan * Under this scheme a beneficiary will be able to avail benefits across the country using the same ration card Patna: Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday announced that the 'One Nation, One Ration Card' scheme will be implemented by June 1 across the country. "We will implement the 'One...

-The Indian Express Viable solutions to PDS portability are being ignored in the push for Aadhaar. Migrants’ woes are often invoked in making a case for portability of benefits in the public distribution system (PDS). Most recently, an article (‘A hundred small steps’, IE, September 26) did just that. However, in many cases of short-term seasonal migration (a dominant form in India), only one or two of the household members migrate,...

-IANS Consumers covered under the Public Distribution System (PDS) will soon be free to buy their goods from any ration centre under the 'one nation, one ration card' scheme, officials said. Consumers covered under the Public Distribution System (PDS) will soon be free to buy their goods from any ration centre under the 'one nation, one ration card' scheme, officials said. "Making available cheaper foodgrain and ensuring satisfaction of the consumers is the...