In this comprehensive review of India's social welfare & anti-poverty initiatives, the World Bank says that the spending to eradicate poverty had not reached their full potential & recommends replacing PDS with a system of direct cash transfer.

See Also

Report: NREGA - opportunities and challenges.
Feature: Poverty begets poverty.
Report: Economic Survey – 2010-11.
Note: Draft national food security bill.
Report: Committee on food security bill.
Act: The NREGA, 2005.
Report: Infrastructure development...
Report: Moving out of poverty in India.
Report: Implementation of the NREGA.
Report: Developing world is no less...

This report represents a first comprehensive review of the
performance of India’s key anti poverty and social protection
programs, including the Public Distribution System, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MGNREG), Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) and others, as well as programs to expand social security coverage to the unorganized sector such as the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme and the growing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) health insurance program. The review draws on new empirical analysis of primary and secondary data sources, including several rounds of the National Sample Survey data, a special Human Development Profile of India survey, dedicated state-level household surveys on associated themes and a rich body of analysis on program performance and impact by national researchers and Government agencies.