The correct option is (d).
Explanation
The Public Distribution System (PDS) in India serves as a primary instrument for ensuring food security. Over the decades, its structure has evolved from a general entitlement scheme to a targeted welfare mechanism aimed at reducing fiscal burden and ensuring benefits reach the vulnerable.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Correct: Until 1992, the PDS was a general entitlement scheme for all consumers without any specific target group. It was universal in coverage, meaning there was no discrimination between the poor and the non-poor regarding access or pricing.
- Statement 2 is Correct: The Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS) was launched in June 1992. It marked the first attempt to target specific geographical areas. It focused on 1,700 blocks located in drought-prone, desert, hilly, and tribal areas to improve food grain access in remote and backward regions.
- Statement 3 is Correct: The Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) was introduced in June 1997. It replaced the RPDS and introduced a dual pricing structure for the first time. It distinguished beneficiaries into Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) households, offering food grains to the poor at heavily subsidized rates.
Key Takeaway:
The structural evolution of PDS in India followed the sequence: Universal PDS (General access) → RPDS (Geographic targeting, 1992) → TPDS (Income-based targeting with differential pricing, 1997).