Food security through ration portability in the Indian State of Telangana

Aadhaar-enabled Public Distribution System and portability measures have tremendously changed the Public Distribution System in Telangana. A study has been undertaken in Telangana by conducting a field survey among 200 ration store dealers and 1950 PDS beneficiaries from five districts of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Adilabad, Nizamabad, and Mahbubnagar to assess the impact of E-PDS and portability under the Aadhaar initiatives during the pre- and post-COVID-19 periods. The study highlighted how Telangana solved delivery inefficiencies, corruption, and barriers to ration stores, especially for migrant workers. E-PDS, integrated with Aadhaar, enabled ration cards to be portable across states and regions and ensured that only qualified recipients received subsidized food grains. This was done to increase food security and the PDS’s utility and effectiveness.