Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,— (a) "administrator"means a person appointed by the State Government or the Registrar under section 26 to manage the affairs of a co-operative society; (b) "apex society" means a co-operative society whose area of operation extends to the whole of the State and the primary object of which is the promotion of the objects, and the provision of facilities for the operation, of other co-operative societies which are its members; (c) "arbitrator" means a person appointed under clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 87 to decide any dispute referred to him; (d) "audit officer" means a person authorised under section 79 by general or special order to audit the accounts of a co- operative society; (e) "by-laws" means the by-laws registered or deemed to have been registered under this Act, and includes a registered amendment of the by-laws; (f) "central co-operative bank" has the same meaning as in the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934; 2 of 1934. (g) "central co-operative land development bank" means a co- operative society, the objects of which include the creation of funds out of which money is to be lent to co-operative land development banks and to persons admitted to membership of the central co-operative land development bank in accordance with its by-laws; (h) "central society" means a co-operative society the primary object of which is to facilitate the working of other co- operative societies which are its members; 156 The West Bengal Co-operative Societies Act, 1973. XXXVIII of 1973.] (Chapter 1.—Preliminary.—Section 2.) (i) "consumers' co-operative society" means a co-operative society, the primary object of which is to supply consumer goods and to render such other services to its members as may be required in respect of supplying and production of consumer goods, and includes a federation of such societies; (j) "co-operative farming society" means a co-operative society, which has, as its principal object, the organised cultivation of the lands held by the society or its members, jointly by the members or otherwise, with a view to increasing agricultural production and employment by proper utilisation • of land, labour and other resources; (k) "co-operative land development bank" means a co-operative society, the objects of which include the creation of funds out of which money is to be lent to members on long term upon mortgage of the immovable property for improvement of agricultural land and for other productive purposes; Explanation.—In this clause,— (1) "long term" means a period above five years, (2) "productive purpose" means any effort, activity or construction to increase the productivity of agricultral land and includes— (i) construction or repair of wells, tubewells, tanks and other works (including subsequent addition or alteration thereto) for storage, supply or distrubution of water for the purpose of agriculture including irrigation or for the use of men and cattle employed in agriculture, ( ) preparation of agricultural or waste land to make it accessible to irrigation facilities, (iii) construction or repair of drainage, reclamation of agricultural lands from rivers or tanks, or otherwise, steps for protection of agricultural lands from floods, erosion or damage, (iv) promotion of horticulture, (v) purchase of oil engines, pumping sets, electrical motors, tractors or any kind of agricultural machinery for agricultural or irrigation purposes, 157 The West Bengal Co-operative Societies Act, 1973. [West Ben. Act (Chapter 1.—Preliminary.--Section 2.) (vi) construction of permanent farm-houses, cattle sheds or sheds for storing or processing agricultural produce at any satge, (vii) purchase of machinery for crushing sugarcane, or for manufacturing gur, khandsari or sugar, (viii) purchase of agricultural land for the purpose of consolidation of existing agricultural holdings, (ix) such other purposes, as the State Government may, from time to time, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare to be productive purposes; (1) "co-operative society" menans a co-operative society registered or deemed to be registered under this Act; (m) "co-operative society with limited liability" means a co- operative society having the liability of its members limited by its by-laws to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held by them or to such amount as they may respectively thereby undertake to contribute to the assets of the society in the event of its being wound up; (n) "co-operative society with unlimited liability" means a co- operative society having, subject to its by-laws, an unlimited liability of its members to contribute jointly and severally in any deficiency in the assets of the society; (o) "co-operative year" means such period of twelve months as may be prescribed for keeping the accounts of a co-operative society; (P) "co-operative credit societies" means a co-operative society, the primary object of which is to create funds out of which money is to be lent to its members and includes credit union; (q) "dispute" means any matter capable of being the subject of civil litigation, and includes a claim in respect of any sum payable to or by a co-operative society, whether such claim be admitted or not; (r) "District Co-operative Union" means a co-operative society registered under this Act, having its area of operation extending to the whole of a district or a co-operative range, its primary object being to assist the State Co-operative Union in implementing its objects in the respective district or co-operative range; 158 The West Bengal Co-operative Societies Act, 1973. XXXVIII of 1973.] (Chapter 1.—Preliminary.—Section 2.) (s) "engineers' co-operative" means a co-operative society formed of unemployed— (i) degree holders in any branch of engineering, technology, science, commerce, arts or agriculture, (ii) diploma holders in any branch of engineering, technology or agriculture, (iii) certificate holders in any industrial trades, for their exclusive benefits, the percentage of degree and diploma holders in any branch of engineering or technology in the membership ofthe co-operative society, being not less than sixty per cent.: (t) "financing bank" means a co-operative society, the objects of which include the creation of funds out of which money is to be lent to other co-operative societies; (u) "industrial co-operative society" means a co-operative society, the objects of which include the manufacture of goods by or with the help of its members and the provision of supplies and services to them and also to small producers and entrepreneurs, and includes a co-operative society established with the object of facilitating the operation of such a society; (v) "Inspector of Co-operative Societies" means a person appointed by that designation by the Registrar; (w) "liquidator" means a person appointed under section 90 to wind up the affairs of a co-operative society; (x) "managing committee" means the committee of management of a co-operative society constituted under section 23; (y) "member" means a person joining in an application for registration of a society which is subsequently registered or a person admitted to membership of a society after its registration in accordance with this Act, the rules and the by- laws, and includes, subject to the provisions of section 59, a nominal and an associate member; (z) "net profit" means profits after deduction of establishment charges, contingent charges, interest payable on loans and deposits, audit fees and such other sums as may be prescribed; (z 1) "officer" includes a president, vice-president, chairman, vice- chairman, secretary, joint secretary, assistant secretary, managing director, manager, deputy manager, assistant 159 The West Bengal Co-operative Societies Act, 1973. [West Ben. Act (Chapter 1.—Preliminary.—Section 2.) manager, treassurer, member of a managing committee, auditor elected from among the members and any other person empowered under the rules or by-laws to give directions in regard to the business of a co-operative society; and also includes any officer of the Government deputed by the State Government or the Registrar under section 24 or any person appointed by the State Government or the Registrar under section 26 to manage the affairs of a co-operative society; (z2) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (z3) "primary co-operative bank" has the same meaning as in the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934; 2 of 1934. (z4) "primary co-operative credit society" means a co-operative society the primary object of which is to create funds to be ,lent to its members; (z5) "primary society" means a co-operative society, the object of which is to promote the common interests of its members in accordance with the provisions of this Act, the rules and the by-laws; (z6) "Registrar" means a person appointed to perform the duties of Registrar of Co-operative Societies under this Act and includes any person appointed to assist the Registrar on whom all or any of the powers or duties of the Registrar referred to in section 10 have been or has been conferred or imposed under clause (a) of that section; (z7) "Reserve Bank" means the Reserve Bank of India established under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934; (z8) "rules" means rules for the time being in force made under this Act; (z9) "State co-operative bank" has the same meaning as in the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934; (z10) "State Co-operative Union" means a co-operative society registered under this Act, having its area of operation extending to the whole of the State, and its primary objects being— (a) to spread education on co-operative principles and practices, 160 The West Bengal Co-operative Societies Act ,1973. XXXVIII of 1973.] (Chapter 1.—Preliminary.—Section 3.) (b) to organise and promote new co-operative societies and to develop the existing co-operative societies in the State, (c) to propagate and publicise co-operative principles and ideas, and (d) to carry out other functions as may be prescribed; (z 1 1 ) "Tribunal" means the Co-operative Tribunal costituted under section 133; (z12) "Trustee" means the person appointed to be a Trustee under sub-section (1) of section 34.