Chapter VIII OBLIGATIONS OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT FOR FOOD SECURITY

(1) The Central Government shall, for ensuring the regular supply of foodgrains to persons belonging to eligible households, allocate from the central pool the required quantity of foodgrains to the State Governments under the Targeted Public Distribution System, as per the entitlements under section 3 and at prices specified in Schedule I. (2) The Central Government shall allocate foodgrains in accordance with the number of persons belonging to the eligible households identified in each State under section 10. (3) The Central Government shall provide foodgrains in respect of entitlements under sections 4, 5 and section 6, to the State Governments, at prices specified for the persons belonging to eligible households in Schedule I. (4) Without prejudice to sub-section (1), the Central Government shall,— (a) procure foodgrains for the central pool through its own agencies and the State Governments and their agencies; (b) allocate foodgrains to the States; (c) provide for transportation of foodgrains, as per allocation, to the depots designated by the Central Government in each State; (d) provide assistance to the State Government in meeting the expenditure incurred by it towards intra-State movement, handling of foodgrains and margins paid to fair price shop dealers, in accordance with such norms and manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government; and (e) create and maintain required modern and scientific storage facilities at various levels.

In case of short supply of foodgrains from the central pool to a State, the Central Government shall provide funds to the extent of short supply to the State Government for meeting obligations under Chapter II in such manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government.