Public Distribution System

Overview: The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the “Bhu-Neer” portal at the concluding ceremony of India Water Week 2024. It has been developed by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), in partnership with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), with the goal of enhancing groundwater regulation across the country. Key Features …

Context: India’s elderly population (those aged 60 and above) is expanding rapidly. In 2023, there are 149 million elderly individuals, making up 10.5% of the total population. By 2050, this figure is projected to reach 347 million, or 20.8% of the population. Challenges of an Ageing Population Increasing Dependency Ratio: …

The Public Distribution System (PDS) evolved as a system of management of scarcity through the distribution of food grains at affordable prices. 

India aims to cut spending on food and fertilizer subsidies to ₹3.7 trillion in the fiscal year from April, a 26% cut from this year, two government officials said, to rein in a fiscal deficit that ballooned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Food and fertilizer subsidies alone account for about one-eighth …