2 THE WEST BENGAL PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (MAINTENANCE AND CONTROL) ORDER, 2013 1 WHEREAS the Governor is of the opinion that it is necessary and expedient so to do for maintaining supplies and securing availability and distribution of essential commodities under the Public Distribution System; Now, THEREFORE, in exercise of the power conferred by section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (10 of 1955) read with the Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution (Department of Food & Public Distribution) Order No. GS.R. 630(E), dated 31st August, 2001, the Governor is pleased hereby to make the following Order, namely:- ORDER PART I Preliminary 1. Short title, extent and commencement. —(a) This Order may be called the West Bengal Public Distribution System (Maintenance and Control) Order, 2013. (b) It extends to the whole of West Bengal except the areas where the West Bengal Urban Public Distribution System (Maintenance and Control) Order, 2013 is in force. (c) It shall come into force on the date of publication in the Official Gazette. 2. Definitions.— In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires, — (a) "Act" means the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (10 of 1955); (b) "Above Poverty Line (APL) Families" means those families who have been issued Above Poverty Line ration cards by the Department of Food and Supplies, Government of West Bengal, for issue of public distribution commodities along with certain other specified items of daily use under the Public Distribution System; (c) "Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) Families" means those poorest families from amongst the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families identified as such by the concerned authority under the Government of West Bengal and to whom Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration cards have been issued for distribution of public distribution commodities under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) Scheme along with certain other specified items of daily use under the Public Distribution System; 1 Vide Notification No. 2347-FS/Sectt/Food/4P-09/2012, dated 8th August, 2013 published in the Kolkata Gazette, Extraordinary, Part I dated August 8, 2013.