1. (1) This Act may be called the National Food Security Act, 2013.

(2) It extends to the whole of India.

(3) Save as otherwise provided, it shall be deemed to have come into force on the

5th day of July, 2013.

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(1) "anganwadi" means a child care and development centre set up under the

Integrated Child Development Services Scheme of the Central Government to render services covered under section 4, clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 5 and section 6; (2) "central pool" means the stock of foodgrains which is,—(i) procured by the Central Government and the State Governments through minimum support price operations;

(ii) maintained for allocations under the Targeted Public Distribution System, other welfare schemes, including calamity relief and such other schemes;

(iii) kept as reserves for schemes referred to in sub-clause (ii);

 (3) "eligible households" means households covered under the priority households and the Antyodaya Anna Yojana referred to in sub-section (1) of section 3;

(4) "fair price shop" means a shop which has been licensed to distribute essential commodities by an order issued under section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to the ration card holders under the Targeted Public Distribution System;

(5) "food grains" means rice, wheat or coarse grains or any combination there of conforming to such quality norms as may be determined, by order, by the Central Government from time to time;

(6) "food security" means the supply of the entitled quantity of food grains and meal specified under Chapter II;

(7) "food security allowance" means the amount of money to be paid by the concerned State Government to the entitled persons under section 8;

(8) "local authority" includes Panchayat, municipality, district board, cantonment board, town planning authority and in the States of Assam, Manipur