Throughput time reduction for transportation of foodgrains in public distribution system: a value analysis approach

Abstract

Food security to the population of India is ensured by the public distribution system (PDS) which involves an enormous and complex supply chain, wherein after procurement from the farmers foodgrains are distributed to the intended beneficiaries. This paper has analysed the large through put time in a sector of the supply chain using value chain analysis approach which has led to re-appropriation of the flow by minimising the time taken by non-value adding activities thereby increasing the efficiency of the supply chain. Reduction in this throughput time would lead to various advantages including the reduction in cost of the supply chain. Further, the model so arrived at could be reworked to bring a similar reduction in the throughput time at the macro level of the entire PDS supply chain.