The Chhattisgarh government’s public distribution has often been cited as a model of effectiveness worthy of replication everywhere. An estimated 90 per cent of the state’s population makes use of PDS subsidies—35 kilograms (kg) of rice at Rs.1 per kg, 2 kg of chana/dal at Rs.5/10 per kg, and 2 kg of iodised salt free of cost on the 7th of every month. People congregate in Chawal Utsavs—literally translating to rice festivals—and procure their rations. For the last thre