How and Why the Access to Public Distribution System Does Not Enhance the Food Security Among the People of North-East India: An Inter-State Analysis

Abstract:     
This paper analyses the status of public distribution system and its role to deal with the problem of food security among the states in the North-Eastern region of India. The main finding of the paper is that poverty has increased in the NER states. It appears that Public Distribution system is widely accessible to households of the region but it is the lack of purchasing power that comes in the way of ensuring food security. An appropriate combination of policies like effective implementation of poverty alleviation programs, stabilization of prices of primary goods, providing universal health care and elementary education facilities are needed along with higher economic growth for enhancing food security among the poor household of the region.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 13

Keywords: Public Distribution Sytem, Poverty, Food Security, North-eastern Region, India

JEL Classification: I38, J15

working papers series