This paper has investigated the extent of utilization and impact of the scheme of pricing rice at one rupee per kilogram among the poor people and other beneficiaries at PDS outlets in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha using multi-stage random sampling method. The data were collected from the public using a structured questionnaire during the period 2 December, 2013 to 11 February, 2014. The study has revealed that most of the poor families were utilizing PDS grains, 94.8 per cent in Odisha and 92.5 per cent in Andhra Pradesh. In both the states, 30 per cent population is of ‘Above Poverty Line’ (APL) families, which do not buy most of the commodities, particularly rice from PDS outlets. As part of PDS reform, both these states have improved transparency with computerized ration shops and biometric ration cards and pin numbers. The study has concluded that the PDS outlets were more useful to the BPL households than to the APL families. The study has suggested that allocation of rice for the APL families should be stopped to check corruption and leakages. It also suggested that millets must be introduced in the PDS to increase nutritional security.
One rupee per kg rice, BPL households, APL households, millets, PDS, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha
