Public distribution of food in India: a comment

In a paper published in this journal, Deepak Ahluwalia recognizes the need for safety nets to protect the poor from adverse impacts of the reform process in India and examines the performance of one such safety net already in existence, the public distribution system (PDS). Although the paper contains several interesting ideas, not all of its claims are well founded. This note points out those which are not and, in particular, rebuts the claim that there is 'no evidence of any serious urban bias'.