Subodh Agarwal IAS Vision: Nationwide Annapurna Bhadar Yojna to Transform Rural India
India's rural areas are as varied as its rich culture, yet they share common challenges like economic inequality, poor infrastructure, and limited access to quality goods. Even 78 years after gaining independence, our rapidly growing economy still faces these issues. In a country where the goddess Annapurna is honored as a symbol of nourishment, it’s fitting to take inspiration from her to address these nutritional gaps.
To tackle these problems, the Rajasthan government launched a unique initiative in 2015 called the Annapurna Bhandar Yojna. This program aimed to modernize and improve the Public Distribution System (PDS).
We spoke with IAS Subodh Agarwal, who was the Principal Secretary for Food and Civil Supplies in Rajasthan at the time. He played a key role in executing this initiative. According to him, this program was designed not only to enhance the public distribution system but also to boost modern retail, benefiting both consumers and the economy.