Impact of the Public Distribution System on Nutritional Outcomes: An Empirical Study of Beneficiary Households in Rewari District, Haryana

Geeta and Rejoice Soloman

International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology, 2026, vol. 13, issue 3, 1178-1191

Abstract: The Public Distribution System (PDS) is the principal food-based safety net of India and, under the National Food Security Act, 2013, is expected to translate cereal subsidies into measurable improvements in household nutrition. This paper examines the first objective of a larger doctoral study — the impact of the PDS on the nutritional outcomes of beneficiary households in Rewari district, Haryana. Primary data were collected from 295 ration-card holders selected through multi-stage sampling, using a structured interview schedule that captured household demographics, patterns of PDS access, perceived adequacy of provisioning and a multi-item nutritional-outcome scale. Data were analysed using percentage analysis, a paired-samples t-test comparing the periods before and after sustained PDS access, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey post-hoc comparisons across ration-card categories, ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and Pearson correlation; the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of district foodgrain off-take was computed from secondary data. The instrument was reliable (overall Cronbach's α = 0.88). Beneficiaries reported significantly higher meal frequency, dietary-diversity scores and months of adequate food provisioning after PDS access (p

Keywords: Public Distribution System; Food Security; Nutritional Outcomes; National Food Security Act; Rewari; Haryana; Antyodaya Anna Yojana (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:etm:ijsrst:v13:y2026:i3:id:1711

DOI: 10.32628/IJSRST26133253

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