The West Bengal Comprehensive Area Development Act, 1974
west-bengal · 1974
The scanned source for this Act is imperfect — headings or section boundaries may be off. Verify against the official source.
- S. 1(1) This Act may be called the West Bengal Comprehensive Short title, Area Development Act, 1974
- S. 2In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or Definitions
- S. 3Section establishes a corporation for comprehensive area development in West Bengal.
- S. 4Section 4 establishes the composition and appointment process for the members of the West Bengal Corporation.
- S. 5Section 5 allows the State Government to dismiss Corporation members deemed detrimental to its interests.
- S. 6Section 6 appoints the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Corporation as its Chief Executive Officer and outlines their powers and duties.
- S. 7Section 7 allows the Corporation to hire staff under regulations, but requires State Government approval for hires earning over 1500 rupees monthly.
- S. 8Section 8 mandates the Corporation to plan and execute development projects to boost agricultural output and benefits for farmers.
- S. 9Section 9 grants the Corporation powers to acquire property, incur expenses, borrow money, advance loans, and enter into contracts for its functions.
- S. 10Section 10 outlines the procedural rules for meetings and initial meeting procedures of the Corporation under the West Bengal Comprehensive Area Development Act, 1974.
- S. 11Section 11 allows the Corporation to form up to five-member committees for executing specified schemes.
- S. 12The section allows the State Government to provide grants, loans, and guarantees to the Corporation for the Act's purposes.
- S. 13Section 13 establishes District Comprehensive Area Development Councils to advise the Corporation on district projects.
- S. 14Section 14 mandates the Corporation to select project areas with State Government approval and submit detailed project plans including infrastructure and facilities.
- S. 15Section 15 allows the State Government to approve, modify, or reject projects submitted under section 14 and publish approved projects in the Official Gazette.
- S. 16(1) For each project there shall be a Project Director and an Advisory Board to be appointed by the Corporation
- S. 17Section 17 assigns the Project Director overall charge of project implementation under the West Bengal Comprehensive Area Development Act, 1974.
- S. 18Section 18 mandates cultivators to follow Project Director's directions on cultivation methods and submit detailed agricultural production reports.
- S. 19Section 19 grants the State Government authority to coordinate and integrate activities of various development corporations.
- S. 20(1) The Project Director shall arrange for giving such loans to Loans to cultivators
- S. 21In each notified area there shall be one or more Debt Settlement Ben
- S. 22Section 22 allows the Project Director to establish marketing centers with warehouses in notified areas for agricultural produce disposal.
- S. 23Section 23 establishes Dharmagolas to store agricultural contributions and allows loans of stored items to distressed residents.
- S. 24Section 24 grants the Project Director powers of a Collector and mandates a 10% share of land produce to be deposited in a Dharmagola fund.
- S. 25Section 25 specifies crop-sharing arrangements between landowners and bargadars under the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955.
- S. 26Section 26 allows the Corporation to delegate its powers and functions to the Project Director as needed.
- S. 27Section 27 penalizes cultivators for failing to comply with development project obligations, with fines up to 500 rupees and additional daily fines.
- S. 28(1) The Corporation shall have a fund to be called the West Fund of the Corporation
- S. 29(1) The Corporation shall in each year, by such date and in such Budget
- S. 30Section 30 restricts the Corporation's spending to purposes outlined in the Act and approved budget estimates.
- S. 31Section 31 mandates annual auditing and reporting of the Corporation's accounts to the State Government.
- S. 32Section 32 mandates the Corporation to refer wage fixation or revision for agricultural laborers to the State Government, which must act under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
- S. 33Section 33 prohibits registration of land transfers in specified areas without a prescribed notice to the Corporation.
- S. 34Section 34 deems Corporation and Council members and employees as public servants under the Indian Penal Code.
- S. 35Section 35 protects individuals from legal action for actions taken in good faith under the Act.
- S. 36Section 36 allows the State Government to issue orders or take actions necessary to resolve difficulties in implementing the Act.
- S. 38(1) The Corporation may, with the previous sanction of the Regulations
- S. 39Section 39 overrides any conflicting laws, contracts, or customs for the Act's provisions.
- S. 1913Section allows aggrieved parties to appeal Board orders to the Collector, whose decision is final.
- S. 1936Section settles outstanding agricultural debts incurred after January 1, 1940, under the Bengal Agricultural Debtors Act, 1936.