Constraints in the Public Distribution System: Beneficiary and Fair Price Shop Owner Perspectives from Selected Districts of Assam

Beneficiaries of India's Public Distribution System (PDS) rank the usefulness of the grain above access problems, while Fair Price Shop (FPS) owners rank the economics of running the shop above administrative ones, according to primary data from two Assam districts. Study surveyed 400 ration-card households in eight villages of Kamrup (Rural) and Barpeta, and interviewed 24 FPS owners. Constraints identified in a pilot (11 for beneficiaries, 6 for owners) were ranked using Garrett's technique. Quality dissatisfaction (83.25% of households), mismatch between entitlement and need, and non-availability of items are the top three demand-side constraints in both districts. Short delivery (35.5% of households), informal payments for ration cards (25.25%) and weak grievance redressal are concentrated in particular villages. Among owners, delayed commission (6-7 months or more, at rates from ?110 to ?180 per quintal), inadequate storage and unreimbursed operating costs rank highest. Households attribute short delivery mainly to diversion (82.6%), while owners report timely grain supply and financial strain, which is consistent with a link between shop economics and leakage that the data cannot test. The study discusses locally targeted reforms, including timely commission payment and shop-level monitoring.