Although stubborn inflationary pressures have worsened the situation of poor people in recent years, public food distribution under various social protection schemes fell by more than 7 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of the current fiscal year, driven by political instability and dysfunctional local governance.

Why cut back on public food distribution programmes when they are needed the most?

Scaling up public food distribution programmes for the poor and the vulnerable is the need of the hour -- given the cost of living crisis. But the government seems to be shying away from stepping up to this task.