MCQs on “Public Distribution System in India: Issues and Reforms”
1. What is the primary objective of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in India?
A) Provide subsidies to farmers
B) Ensure food security for the poor
C) Support private markets
D) Promote industrial growth
Answer: B) Ensure food security for the poor
2. The Public Distribution System in India distributes food grains primarily through which mechanism?
A) Open markets
B) Fair Price Shops (FPS)
C) Farmer cooperatives
D) Warehouses
Answer: B) Fair Price Shops (FPS)
3. Which are the main commodities distributed through the PDS?
A) Fruits and vegetables
B) Wheat, rice, and sugar
C) Electronic goods
D) Garments
Answer: B) Wheat, rice, and sugar
4. The National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 aims to cover what percentage of India’s population under PDS?
A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 67%
Answer: D) 67%
5. What is one of the major challenges facing the PDS in India?
A) Overproduction of food grains
B) High food prices in PDS
C) Leakage and diversion of food grains
D) Inadequate demand for food grains
Answer: C) Leakage and diversion of food grains
6. The PDS operates through a decentralized procurement system. Which states have been most successful in this?
A) Punjab and Haryana
B) Rajasthan and Gujarat
C) Maharashtra and Karnataka
D) Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Answer: A) Punjab and Haryana
7. Which of the following is a reform suggested for improving the efficiency of the PDS?
A) Reducing food subsidies
B) Switching to cash transfers
C) Increasing the number of Fair Price Shops
D) Decreasing the quantity of food grains distributed
Answer: B) Switching to cash transfers
8. The introduction of Aadhaar-based biometric authentication for PDS aims to reduce which of the following?
A) Storage costs
B) Black market transactions
C) Corruption and leakages
D) Farmers’ protests
Answer: C) Corruption and leakages
9. Which government agency is primarily responsible for the procurement, storage, and distribution of food grains under PDS?
A) Food Corporation of India (FCI)
B) Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
C) Ministry of Finance
D) National Development Council (NDC)
Answer: A) Food Corporation of India (FCI)
10. What is the role of the Food Security Allowance under the NFSA, 2013?
A) To provide cash assistance to non-beneficiaries
B) To compensate beneficiaries in case of non-supply of food grains
C) To allocate more food grains to Fair Price Shops
D) To increase the price of food grains in the market
Answer: B) To compensate beneficiaries in case of non-supply of food grains
11. Which of the following best describes the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)?
A) A universal system providing food to all citizens
B) A system targeting specific categories of the population based on income
C) A system targeting only urban populations
D) A system providing luxury goods to citizens
Answer: B) A system targeting specific categories of the population based on income
12. Which group is classified under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme under the TPDS?
A) Middle-class families
B) Industrial workers
C) Poorest of the poor households
D) High-income families
Answer: C) Poorest of the poor households
13. What is one major reform aimed at improving transparency in the PDS?
A) Digital ration cards
B) Privatization of the Food Corporation of India
C) Free distribution of food grains
D) Restricting PDS to urban areas only
Answer: A) Digital ration cards
14. What is the primary purpose of buffer stocks maintained by the government under the PDS?
A) To control inflation
B) To ensure supply during emergencies
C) To promote international trade
D) To increase profits of farmers
Answer: B) To ensure supply during emergencies
15. Which ministry is responsible for managing the PDS in India?
A) Ministry of Finance
B) Ministry of Agriculture
C) Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution
D) Ministry of Home Affairs
Answer: C) Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution
16. One of the criticisms of the PDS is the exclusion errors. What does this mean?
A) Non-beneficiaries receiving food grains
B) Beneficiaries not receiving their entitlements
C) Low-quality food grains being distributed
D) Inflation caused by PDS operations
Answer: B) Beneficiaries not receiving their entitlements
17. In which year was the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) introduced?
A) 1992
B) 1997
C) 2005
D) 2013
Answer: B) 1997
18. Which of the following is a major recommendation of the Shanta Kumar Committee (2015) on PDS reforms?
A) Continuation of the current system
B) Focus on universal PDS
C) Gradual shift to cash transfers
D) Abolishing Fair Price Shops
Answer: C) Gradual shift to cash transfers
19. What is one of the major issues concerning the storage of food grains under PDS?
A) Lack of sufficient warehousing
B) Excess warehousing facilities
C) High international demand for Indian food grains
D) Surplus food grains being wasted
Answer: A) Lack of sufficient warehousing
20. How does the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ scheme benefit migrant workers?
A) Allows them to access PDS benefits anywhere in India
B) Ensures free meals in urban areas
C) Provides them with financial loans
D) Restricts PDS to their home state
Answer: A) Allows them to access PDS benefits anywhere in India
21. What is the primary issue related to the quality of food grains distributed through the PDS?
A) Food grains are not stored for long
B) Food grains are often low-quality or spoiled
C) Food grains are imported from other countries
D) There is excess distribution of food grains
Answer: B) Food grains are often low-quality or spoiled
22. What percentage of India’s rural population is covered under the NFSA, 2013?
A) 50%
B) 67%
C) 75%
D) 90%
Answer: C) 75%
23. Which of the following states is known for implementing PDS reforms successfully?
A) Bihar
B) Kerala
C) Odisha
D) Maharashtra
Answer: B) Kerala
24. What is the main goal of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in the context of PDS reforms?
A) Provide free food grains
B) Transfer subsidies directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts
C) Increase the prices of food grains
D) Eliminate subsidies for all citizens
Answer: B) Transfer subsidies directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts
25. How does the Food Corporation of India (FCI) support the PDS?
A) By importing food grains
B) By buying and distributing food grains to states
C) By selling food grains in the open market
D) By promoting private warehousing
Answer: B) By buying and distributing food grains to states
26. What is the primary role of Fair Price Shops (FPS) in the PDS?
A) To sell luxury goods at reduced prices
B) To distribute subsidized food grains to beneficiaries
C) To promote private investment in agriculture
D) To monitor the quality of food grains
Answer: B) To distribute subsidized food grains to beneficiaries
27. What is one of the primary issues related to the identification of PDS beneficiaries?
A) Excessive demand for food grains
B) Inaccurate identification leading to exclusion and inclusion errors
C) Lack of food grains
D) Lack of coordination between central and state governments
Answer: B) Inaccurate identification leading to exclusion and inclusion errors
28. How does the PDS contribute to reducing poverty in India?
A) By providing employment opportunities
B) By ensuring food security for low-income families
C) By promoting industrial growth
D) By reducing the cost of luxury goods
Answer: B) By ensuring food security for low-income families
29. What is the significance of ration cards in the PDS system?
A) To register citizens for voting
B) To identify and verify beneficiaries for food distribution
C) To promote private food markets
D) To provide employment to shop owners
Answer: B) To identify and verify beneficiaries for food distribution
30. Which of the following reforms is suggested to improve the storage of food grains under the PDS?
A) Privatization of food distribution
B) Building more modern warehousing facilities
C) Reducing the amount of food grains in storage
D) Promoting private markets for food grains
Answer: B) Building more modern warehousing facilities
These MCQs cover the key issues, challenges, and reforms surrounding the Public Distribution System in India, providing a comprehensive understanding for Civil Services Examination preparation.
