Tribals want doorstep delivery of rations over Fair Price Shop system in Andhra Pradesh, finds a preliminary study

Study shows tribal preference for doorstep ration delivery over Fair Price Shop system, advocating for continued improvement.

A large number of tribal people prefer doorstep delivery of rations to the Fair Price Shop (ration depot) delivery system, according to the preliminary findings of a study conducted by LibTech India, a Delhi-based public policy research NGO. The findings, were released to the media recently.

The final report is expected to take another three months to complete. According to the study, 83% of the tribals preferred doorstep delivery of rations over the previous FPS. The study, titled “Adivasis’ Right to Food: Overcoming Obstacles in the Public Distribution System,” is an exhaustive two-year analysis that spanned 790 Adivasis from 10 randomly selected shandies out of a total of 40 in the Paderu ITDA, in addition to interviews of beneficiaries and officials from village to district level.

The findings were positive towards doorstep delivery of rations through mobile dispenser units (MDUs), introduced by the previous YSRCP government in 2021. In the doorstep delivery system, mobile dispenser units (mobile vans) are supposed to carry rations to the doorstep. However, the study found that although the doorstep delivery system was not implemented in full spirit, the distance Adivasis had to traverse to collect rations had significantly decreased.

According to the report, 92% of Adivasis reported that the distance they had to travel to collect rations has reduced with the doorstep delivery system compared to the FPS system. Additionally, 90% reported that the number of trips they had to make to collect rations decreased after MDUs were introduced.

The study also reported that the number of trips needed to collect rations and the time taken for each trip have also reduced. A significant number of respondents indicated that MDUs are less corrupt than FPS. For example, 75% of the respondents claimed that instances of receiving less rice than entitled are higher in the FPS system, and the same percentage reported instances of missing rice grains are more common in the FPS system.

One of the key problems identified by Adivasis while collecting rations has been the ration disbursement agencies forcing them to buy grocery items unofficially. The survey reported that these instances have also decreased, with 65% of respondents claiming that instances of being forced to buy additional items to collect rice grains are higher in the FPS system.

When asked if they preferred the government to transfer cash into bank accounts instead of rations, a staggering 99% of respondents said they preferred rice over cash as it ensures food security.