Direction: In the following questions, you have a brief passage with 5 questions following the passage. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
PASSAGE
The public distribution system, which provides food at low prices, is a subject of vital concern. There is a growing realization that though India has enough food to feed its masses two square meals a day, the monster of starvation and food insecurity continues to haunt the poor in our country. Increasing the purchasing power of the poor through providing productive employment leading to rising income, and thus good standard of living is the ultimate objective of public policy. However, till then, there is a need to provide assured supply of food through a restructured, more efficient and decentralized public distribution system (PDS). Although the PDS is extensive - it is one of the largest such systems in the world- it hasn’t reached the rural poor and the remote places. It remains an urban phenomenon, with the majority of the rural poor still out of its reach due to lack of economic and physical access. The poorest in the cities and the migrants are left out, for they generally do not possess ration cards. The allocation of PDS supplies in big cities is larger than in rural areas. In view of such deficiencies in the system, the PDS urgently needs to be streamlined. Also, considering the large foodgrain production combined with food subsidy on one hand and the continuing slow starvation and dismal poverty of rural population on the other, there is a strong case for making PDS target-group oriented. By making PDS taiget-group oriented, not only the poorest and the neediest would be reached without additional cost but we can also reduce the overall costs incurred.
SOME IMPORTANT WORDS
vital (Adj.) : urgently needed ; absolutely necessary
Starvation (N.): the state of suffering and death caused by having no food
haunt (V.) : to continue to cause problems for somebody for a long time
access (N.) : the oppurtunity/right to use something
migrants (N.) : a person who moves from one region/ country to another
deficiency (N.) : lack of an adequate quantity
streamlined (V.) : to make a system, an organisation, etc. work better
dismal (Adj) : causing/showing sadness