scorecardresearch
Add as a preferred source on Google
Saturday, March 7, 2026
TopicPDS

Topic: PDS

The Indian thali needs to move India beyond rice and wheat. Budget 2026 can fix it

Our public food programmes are built around large-scale rice and wheat procurement and distribution, making it harder to source, store, and deliver diversified foods affordably.

India’s PDS isn’t future-ready. It needs five major reforms

The Public Distribution System cannot continue unchanged in an era where the demand is likely to be for nutrition, convenience, and choice.

Punjab’s paddy farmers are staring at big losses. Why flood impact may spill out of India’s rice bowl

As devastated farmers begin to come to terms with the fallout, 4 lakh hectares of land under paddy cultivation across state is flooded. Punjab is among the biggest contributors to PDS.

Why Chhattisgarh govt now supports ED’s plea for re-trial in PDS scam case, 2 yrs after opposing it

In an affidavit filed before Supreme Court, the months-old state BJP govt has affirmed ED’s charges against 2 senior civil servants who served in erstwhile Bhupesh Baghel regime.

Sale of wheat, rice in open market needs better targeting. Bangladesh model worked

The OMSS has been successfully used to reduce the excessive stocks of wheat and rice. However, the government has not been able to find buyers for rice.

Mobbed & thrashed — attack on ED team not 1st time central agencies faced hostility in Bengal

In February 2019, CBI officers were detained outside residence of then Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar. Subsequently, central forces were deployed outside CBI, ED offices.

Two weather events that affected India’s wheat surpluses, took it off the export market

Lower procurement forecloses any opportunity before the government to make any additional allocations in the run up to General elections in April-May 2024.

Modi govt can’t replace PMGKAY with free food under PDS. It’s politics trumping good economics

Pre-2013 issue prices of rice and wheat to zero now is truly remarkable. But what does it say about the govt's assessment of deprivation?

PM Kisan’s direct transfers can help food distribution. But there are four challenges

During natural calamities like droughts, floods or pandemics, cash transfers may not be of much help. It is a good policy to distribute food grains rather than cash.

What is Chhattisgarh’s ‘PDS scam’ & why ED wants SC to allow a CBI investigation into it

Alleged PDS scam was unearthed in 2015 by Chhattisgarh's Anti-Corruption Bureau. SC will hear ED's plea to transfer the probe to CBI on 26 September.

On Camera

Maharashtra Budget: Fadnavis hands farmers another loan waiver even as 6 lakh await benefits of 1st one

Other key promises in the budget include AI- and other technology-enabled services for farmers and continuation of the Ladki Bahin Yojana, which will have the same outlay. 

Iranian naval ship Lavan with crew of 184 docked in Kochi same day US torpedoed IRIS Dena

IRIS Lavan was in the region for the International Fleet Review held last month and ‘sought urgent docking in Kochi citing technical issues,’ it is learnt.

Trump brings the Age of Humiliation for friends. Modi needs stoicism abroad, humility at home

Trump has ushered in the age of humiliation. His method is to push around America’s friends rudely and publicly. He knows none of them can afford to fight back.