This article presents estimates of the impact of
the public distribution system on rural poverty, using National Sample
Survey data for 2009-10 and official poverty lines. At the all-India
level, the PDS is estimated to reduce the poverty-gap index of rural
poverty by 18% to 22%. The corresponding
figures are much larger for
states with a well-functioning PDS, e g, 61% to 83% in Tamil Nadu and
39% to 57% in Chhattisgarh.
or
