Reforming the PDS in India

Source:TH

Why in News?

A recent study by Crisil using a ‘thali index’ shows that up to 50% of rural and 20% of urban Indians cannot afford two balanced meals a day, revealing widespread food deprivation.This contrasts with the World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Brief, based on the 2024 Household Consumption Expenditure Survey, which claims extreme poverty fell from 16.2% in 2011-12 to 2.3% in 2022-23.

Even with Public Distribution System (PDS) support, food deprivation remained 40% in rural and 10% in urban areas, revealing deeper food insecurity than income-based poverty estimates.

Why is the Need to Restructure the PDS to Promote Equity in Primary Food Consumption?

• Limitations of Current PDS: The PDS has succeeded in equalising cereal consumption across income groups. However, the PDS mainly provides rice and wheat, which are rich in calories but low in proteins and other nutrients. This helps with hunger, but not with balanced nutrition.
• Pulse Consumption Gap: A healthy diet requires proteins, vitamins, and minerals, not just calories. Pulses, often the only protein source for the poor, remain unaffordable without subsidy.
• As a result, the poorest 5% of rural households consume only half as many pulses as the richest 5%, highlighting a serious nutritional gap driven by cost barriers.
• Subsidy Misdirection: In rural India, individuals in the top 10% consumption bracket receive up to 88% of the subsidy that the poorest 5% receive.
• This group spends three times more on food than the poorest, yet continues to benefit from PDS subsidies, implying leakage and misallocation.
• In urban areas, although the system is more progressive, 80% still receive PDS subsidies, even if they exceed the "two-thali" consumption norm.
• Fiscal Burden and Resource Misuse: In January 2024, the central government extended free food grain supply (under National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013) to 80 crore people.
• However, Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023-24 data shows many of these households already consume enough cereals. Such large-scale entitlement does not reflect actual need and wastes public funds.
• Over-allocation also increases procurement, storage, and distribution costs for the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

What Challenges Exist in Implementing Nutrition-sensitive PDS?

• Accurate Targeting of Beneficiaries: Identifying households that genuinely consume below the “two thalis a day” norm is difficult. 
  • There is a high risk of exclusion errors (poor families left out) and inclusion errors (better-off households still receiving benefits).
• Political Sensitivity in Reducing Cereal Entitlements: Many households, including middle-class and better-off groups, currently benefit from subsidised rice and wheat.
  • Cutting or eliminating their entitlements may trigger political resistance and public backlash.
• Procurement and Distribution of Pulses: Unlike rice and wheat, pulses are produced in smaller quantities, have greater price volatility, and require better storage facilities. 
  • Scaling up their procurement and distribution through PDS would be logistically challenging.
• Financial Sustainability: Expanding subsidies for pulses while continuing to support cereals could place a heavy burden on the food subsidy bill. 
  • Without restructuring PDS, it may not be fiscally sustainable for the government.
  • Subsidised food items often get diverted to open markets. Expanding the basket to include costlier items like pulses increases the incentive for black marketing and corruption.
• Administrative and Monitoring Capacity: Implementing a nutrition-sensitive PDS needs reliable data systems, digital tracking, and strong oversight. 
  • Weak monitoring can undermine efficiency and prevent benefits from reaching the truly needy.

How can the PDS be Reformed to Ensure Equitable & Nutritious Food Access?

• Define a Nutrition-Based Food Norm: Establish a "minimum balanced diet" standard (e.g., two thalis/day) including cereals, pulses, vegetables, and dairy.
  • Make it region-specific to reflect local dietary patterns and costs.
  • As recommended by the Tendulkar Committee (2009), poverty estimation should move beyond calorie norms to a broader consumption basket, including food, health, and education.
• Target Subsidies Based on Need: Update and use latest HCES data to identify households below the nutrition norm. 
  • Provide full PDS support to the most deprived and reduce or eliminate subsidies for those above the norm.
• Expand Pulse Inclusion in PDS: Increase the distribution of key pulses (tur, moong, chana) in PDS to address protein deficiency. Prioritise supply for low-income households with low protein intake and link procurement with Minimum Support Price and buffer stocking mechanisms.
• Reduce Excess Cereal Allocation: Trim cereal quotas where consumption has already met desired levels. Use savings to diversify the food basket and improve nutritional outcomes.
• Pilot and Scale Gradually: Implement state-wise pilot programs, monitor impacts on nutrition, fiscal costs, and supply chains before national rollout.
  • Align with Poshan Abhiyaan(National Nutrition Mission (NNM), Integrated Child Development Scheme, and Mid-Day Meal schemes to maximise impact.
• Leverage Technology for Better Targeting: Use digital ration cards, Aadhaar linking, and real-time data to improve transparency and reduce leakages.
  • Promote nutrition literacy among beneficiaries to increase uptake of pulses and diversified diets.

Conclusion

A reformed, nutrition-focused PDS is essential to bridge India’s hidden hunger gap. Strategic targeting, fiscal prudence, and dietary diversity must guide future interventions. Equity in food access is not just about distribution, it's about delivering dignity through nutrition.

Drishti Mains Question: Q. Despite near-universal calorie sufficiency, India faces serious nutritional inequality. Critically examine the need to reform the Public Distribution System (PDS) and propose a brief roadmap for implementation.

Saudi-Pakistan Defence Pact

Source: TH  

Why in News?

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have formalized decades of informal military cooperation by signing a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA), a pact that could notably affect India’s national interests in South Asia and the Gulf region.

• The pact includes a collective defence clause, joint military mechanisms, and intelligence-sharing.
• For Pakistan, it offers financial lifelines and strategic relevance, while for Saudi Arabia, it provides a hedge against regional threats like Iran, Houthis, and Israel’s aggression.

What are the Implications of the Saudi-Pakistan Pact on India?

• Geopolitical Setback in the Middle East: The Saudi-Pakistan defence pact revives historical ties between the two countries, posing a geopolitical challenge to India’s Gulf diplomacy. 
  • It may enable Pakistan to leverage its strengthened position with Riyadh to push anti-India narratives on Kashmir within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, complicating India’s influence in the Islamic world.
• Impact on Energy Security and Diaspora: India’s energy security and reliance on Saudi crude oil could face challenges due to a deeper Saudi-Pakistan strategic alignment, which may complicate commercial and geopolitical ties. 
  • Additionally, India’s 2.6 million-strong diaspora in Saudi Arabia, a key source of remittances, could be affected by shifts in the regional political landscape.
• Pressure on Counter-Terrorism Efforts: India’s efforts to isolate Pakistan internationally over terrorism could be affected, as Saudi Arabia’s deepened strategic partnership with Pakistan may temper its otherwise growing cooperation with India on counter-terrorism, potentially limiting Riyadh’s support for India’s diplomatic initiatives.
• Fueling a Destabilizing Arms Race in Advanced Technologies: Saudi financial support could allow Pakistan to rapidly modernize its military, investing in combat drones, hypersonic missiles, and cyber warfare with backing from partners like Turkey and China, over which India has limited influence. 
  • This pressures New Delhi into an accelerated, costly arms race in AI, space, and electronic warfare to counter a technologically advanced adversary on its western border. 

How Could India Navigate the Impact of the Saudi-Pakistan Pact?

• Double Down on Diplomacy: India must ensure its relationship with Saudi Arabia is defined by economic interests, not the Pakistan prism, emphasizing its role in energy security, investment ties (like the West Coast Refinery project), and future-oriented projects in renewables, technology, and finance. 
• Execute a Pragmatic Re-engagement with Iran: The Saudi-Pakistan pact positions Iran as a strategic partner for India, prompting New Delhi to fully leverage Chabahar Port and accelerate the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), securing a direct, secure route to Afghanistan and Central Asia while countering Pakistan’s western flank. 
• Strengthen the Look West Policy: India must diversify its Gulf strategy by deepening ties with the UAE and Qatar, through trade deals, LNG supply, and defence cooperation and maintaining a pragmatic relationship with Iran to ensure regional balance. 
  • Additionally, leverage minilateral frameworks like I2U2 reinforces India’s role as a stabilising, non-threatening partner.

Conclusion

The Saudi-Pakistan pact signifies a pivotal shift towards multipolarity in West Asia, driven by hedging against unreliable US guarantees. For India, it necessitates astute diplomacy, economic engagement with Riyadh, and a diversified regional strategy to safeguard its vital interests and navigate the new strategic landscape.

Drishti Mains Question: Q. How does the Saudi-Pakistan pact affect India’s interests and influence in the Gulf?

Manual Scavenging in India

Source:TH

Why in News? 

The Supreme Court (SC) of India has fined Delhi’s Public Works Department (PWD) Rs 5 lakh after labourers were found cleaning sewers outside its premises without protective gear. 

• The Court held this to be a violation of directives issued by the Supreme Court in its landmark 2023 judgment (Dr. Balram Singh v/s Union of India), aimed at eradicating the inhuman and caste-based practice of manual scavenging and hazardous sewer cleaning.

What are the SC’s Directives in Dr. Balram Singh v/s Union of India, 2023 Case?

• Fresh, Reliable Survey: Conduct a comprehensive national survey to identify manual scavengers across states and union territories.
• Eradication Measures: Ordered for complete mechanisation of sewer and septic tank cleaning. Human entry into sewers only in exceptional cases where mechanical cleaning is not possible.
• Protective Gear & Safety: No worker to be sent into drains, septic tanks, or sewers without proper protective equipment. Absence of protective gear will be treated as a violation of Articles 21 and 23.
• Rehabilitation & Compensation: Rehabilitation of families of persons who die in sewer or septic tank work to be treated as a constitutional right.
  • Compensation to dependents of deceased or disabled workers must be enhanced and disbursed promptly.
  • Integrate rehabilitation with wider social security measures under schemes like NAMASTE (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem. Provide scholarships and educational opportunities for children of manual scavengers.
• Awareness & Reporting: Launch public awareness campaigns against the practice. Create a centralized online portal to track deaths, rehabilitation status, and disbursal of compensation.
• Implementation of Welfare Laws: Ensure full enforcement of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (PEMSR) Act, 2013.

What is Manual Scavenging?

• About: According to the PEMSR Act, 2013, it is the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing, or handling human excreta from insanitary latrines, open drains, pits, railway tracks or any other notified space.
• Legal Framework: It is officially banned in India since the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993.
  • Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 bans employment of manual scavengers, ensures their rehabilitation, and makes every offence cognizable and non-bailable.
• Current Status ( 2024): Out of 766 districts, 732 have declared themselves manual scavenging-free, yet as of 2024, around 58,000 manual scavengers remain identified in India.
• Reasons for the Persistence of Manual Scavenging in India:
  • Caste-based discrimination: Historically associated with Dalit communities, making it a hereditary occupation. 
    • Deep-rooted untouchability and caste bias force communities to remain trapped in this occupation.
  • Poverty and Lack of Alternatives: Many workers have no other source of livelihood.
  • Incomplete Mechanisation: Machines for sewer and septic tank cleaning are still not widely available or accessible, especially in smaller towns.
  • Poor enforcement of laws: Despite the 1993 and 2013 Acts, implementation on the ground is weak.
  • Contractor System: Workers are often hired informally through contractors, bypassing accountability.
  • Gaps in surveys and Data: Inconsistent and under-reported surveys lead to underestimation of the problem, masking its true scale.

What are India’s Initiatives to Curb Manual Scavenging? 

• Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge 
• Swachhta Abhiyan App 
• Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan 
• National Commission for Safai Karamchari 
• Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) 
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) 
• NAMASTE (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem)  
• Technological Initiatives: 
  • Bandicoot Robot: Autonomously or remotely cleans, inspects, and removes blockages in sewer lines. 
  • Endobot & Swasth AI: Diagnose pipelines to detect and mitigate water contamination, wastage, and sewer overflows. 
  • Robo-Drain System: Automated robotic technology for cleaning underground sewers. 
  • Vacuum Trucks: Use powerful pumps to remove sewage waste without human entry. 

What are the Major Challenges Faced by Manual Scavengers?

• Health Risks: Exposure to human waste and toxic gases like hydrogen sulphide makes manual scavengers highly vulnerable to diseases such as  Hepatitis, Tetanus, Cholera, and asphyxiation.
• Social Stigma: Labeled as “untouchables,” they face deep-rooted caste-based discrimination, reinforcing social exclusion and systemic marginalization.
• Economic Challenges: Paid below minimum wage and often employed on daily-wage or contractual terms, they lack job security, social protection, and alternative livelihood options, keeping them trapped in poverty.
• Double Discrimination: Women face both caste- and gender-based exploitation, including sexual harassment, abuse, and economic inequality.
• Psychological Issues: Continuous social stigma, harsh work conditions, and marginalization lead to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
• Substance Abuse: Many resort to alcohol or drugs to cope with stress, humiliation, and physical hardship, further impacting their health and well-being.

What Measures can be Taken to End Manual Scavenging in India?

• Mechanisation of Sanitation Work: Promote 100% mechanized cleaning of sewers, septic tanks, drains, garbage lifting, sludge handling, and solid & medical waste disposal.
  • Equip Sanitation Response Units (SRUs) with machines, vehicles, and devices for mechanized cleaning. Train professionally skilled manpower for mechanized operations.
• Institutional Framework: Appoint a Responsible Sanitation Authority in every district to oversee sanitation and mechanization. Set up SRUs in each municipality with a 24x7 helpline to report blockages in sewers and septic tanks.
• Strict Enforcement of Laws: Strictly enforce the PEMSR Act, 2013 with stringent penalties for violators, treat sewer deaths as culpable homicide, and ensure compensation in line with Supreme Court directives.
  • The National Human Rights Commission recommends maintaining the distinction between sanitation workers and manual scavengers under the 2013 Act. It also recommends empanelling and regulating the de-sledging market.
• Financial Support & Incentives: Provide Concessional loans under Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) for sanitation workers, dependents, and urban bodies to procure sanitation equipment and vehicles.
  • Expand the reach of the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) for sanitation-related projects to support sustainable livelihoods.
• Sustainable Livelihoods: Train manual scavengers under PM-DAKSH for roles in waste management, and machine operation, with preferential hiring in urban bodies under MGNREGA. 
• Health Screenings: Conduct regular health screenings for sanitation workers in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), focusing on respiratory and skin-related ailments, along with defined treatment and prevention protocols.

Drishti Mains Question: Q. Critically examine the challenges in eliminating manual scavenging in India despite the existence of legal safeguards.

Bagram Air Base

Source: IE

The US President warned Afghanistan of consequences if Bagram air base isn’t returned, hinting at possible military action. The base was vacated by US forces before their 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.

• About: Located about 60 km north of Kabul, Bagram Airfield is Afghanistan’s largest military base, positioned in the vital Parwan province. 
  • The province acts as a strategic gateway, with the 2.6 km Salang tunnel linking Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif and other northern cities. 
  • In addition, highways from Parwan connect Kabul to Ghazni and Kandahar in the south and Bamiyan in the west, making it central to Afghanistan’s connectivity and control.
• Historical Evolution: The base was constructed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s and rose to prominence during the Cold War and the Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989). 
  • Following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Bagram became the main operational hub for American forces, serving as a logistics, intelligence, and command centre throughout the War on Terror.
• Strategic Significance: Despite the withdrawal of US forces, Bagram continues to hold immense strategic value. 
  • Its location offers a vantage point over regional dynamics. With China building closer ties with the Taliban, the airbase’s role gains new relevance. 
  • The significance is amplified by proximity to sensitive Chinese sites—Lop Nur nuclear test site in Xinjiang is just 2,000 km away, while the Koko Nur nuclear weapons facility lies further east in Qinghai province.

Read More: Bagram Airfield

Achanakmar Tiger Reserve

Source: IE

The tiger population in Achanakmar Tiger Reserve (Chhattisgarh) has witnessed a remarkable increase, rising from 5 in 2022 to 18 in 2025, largely due to the arrival of the tigress Jhumri from Bandhavgarh (Madhya Pradesh) and enhanced conservation efforts.

• About: Located in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, Achanakmar Tiger Reserve (ATR) was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1975 and became a tiger reserve in 2009. It is part of the Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve.
  • The reserve forms a vital corridor linking Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves, enabling tiger movement and maintaining genetic diversity.
• Tribal Communities: ATR is home to the Baigas (PVTG), Gond, and Yadav communities.
• River & Water Resources: The Maniyari River, which flows through the reserve, is known as its life line. It merges in the Seonath River of the Mahanadi Basin.
• Vegetation & Flora: Dominated by tropical moist deciduous forests, the reserve features Sal, Saja, Tinsa, Bija, Haldu, Teak, Dhawara, Lendia, Khamar, and Bamboo.
• Fauna: Wildlife includes tiger, leopard, wild dog, hyena, bison, chinkara, sambar, chital, flying squirrel etc. 

Read more: Inter-State Translocation of Tigers

International Red Panda Day

International Red Panda Day is observed on the 3rd Saturday in September each year to raise awareness about the endangered Red Panda and galvanise global conservation efforts.

• About: The Red Panda (also called the Firefox, Lesser Panda, or Red Cat-Bear) is found across the Himalayas, from Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, North Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, northern Myanmar to China’s Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.
  • The Great Bend of the Brahmaputra divides their population into the Himalayan Red Panda and the Chinese Red Panda. 
  • Red Panda prefers altitudes of 2,200–4,800 m in mixed deciduous & conifer forests with bamboo understory.
• Cultural Significance: Red Panda is declared as Sikkim’s state animal in the 1990s, and as the mascot of the Darjeeling Tea Festival. 
• Ecological Role: Primarily bamboo-dependent, but also eats plants and small animals. It undergoes torpor (hibernation) in winter.
• Conservation Status: The Red Panda is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, included in Appendix I of CITES, and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 in India.
  • Conservation Efforts: Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (Darjeeling) initiated a captive breeding programme in the 1990s.
• Major Threats: Habitat loss, poaching, illegal pet trade, linear infrastructure, food competition (with livestock and wild species), and inbreeding.
  • Illegal Trafficking: Reported cases in Singalila and Neora Valley National Parks (North Bengal).

Read more: Red Panda