The Jute Manufactures Development Council Act, 1983

(1) This Act may be called the Jute ManufacturesDevelopment Council Act, 1983. (2) It extends to the whole of India. (3) It shall come into force on such date 1as the Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, appoint.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-- (a) "Chairman" means the Chairman of the Council; (b) "Council" means the Jute Manufactures Development Council established under section 3; (c) "jute manufacture" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in the Jute ManufacturesCess Act, 1983 (27 of 1983); (d) "member" means a member of the Council and includes the Chairman; (e) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 1[(f) "year" means the year commencing on the 1st day of April and ending on the 31st day ofMarch next following.]

(1) With effect from such date as the CentralGovernment may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in this behalf, there shall be establishedfor the purposes of this Act, a Council to be called the Jute Manufactures Development Council. (2) The Council shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and acommon seal, with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and tocontract, and shall by the said name sue and be sued. (3) The head office of the Council shall be at Calcutta in the State of West Bengal, and the Councilmay, with the previous approval of the Central Government, establish offices or agencies at other placesin or outside India. (4) The Council shall consist of the following members, namely:-- (a) a Chairman to be appointed by the Central Government; (b) such number of members not exceeding eight as the Central Government may think fit to beappointed by it from among the Ministries of the Central Government dealing with-- (i) agriculture; (ii) commerce (textiles); (iii) finance; (iv) industry; (v) civil supplies; (vi) co-operation; (c) six members to be appointed by the Central Government by rotation in the alphabetical orderto represent respectively the Governments of the States of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,Meghalaya, Orissa, Tripura and West Bengal in which jute is cultivated on a large scale: Provided that such appointment shall be made on the recommendation of the Government of theState concerned; (d) four members to be appointed by the Central Government to represent the producers of jutemanufactures; (e) two members to be appointed by the Central Government to represent the exporters of jutemanufactures; (f) three members to be appointed by the Central Government to represent the growers of jute; (g) three members to be appointed by the Central Government to represent the interests ofworkmen employed in factories producing jute manufactures; (h) five members to be appointed by the Central Government from amongst persons who, in theopinion of the Central Government, are experts in jute technological research, jute marketing oragricultural economics. (5) The Council shall elect, from amongst its members, a Vice-Chairman who shall exercise such ofthe powers and perform such of the functions of the Chairman as may be prescribed or as may bedelegated to him by the Chairman. (6) The term of office and other conditions of service of the members and the manner of fillingvacancies among, and the procedure to be followed in the discharge of their functions by, the membersshall be such as may be prescribed. (7) Any officer of the Central Government, not being a member of the Council, when deputed by thatGovernment in this behalf, shall have the right to attend the meetings of the Council and take part in theproceedings thereof, but shall not have the right to vote. (8) The Council may associate with itself, in such manner, subject to such conditions and for suchpurposes as may be prescribed, any person whose assistance or advice it may desire in complying withany of the provisions of this Act and a person so associated shall be entitled to receive such allowances orfees as may be fixed by the Central Government and shall have the right to take part in the proceedings ofthe Council relevant to the purpose for which he has been associated, but shall not have the right to vote. (9) No act or proceeding of the Council or any committee appointed by it under section 5 shall beinvalidated merely by reason of-- (a) any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of, the Council or such committee; or (b) any defect in the appointment of a person acting as a member of the Council or suchcommittee; or (c) any irregularity in the procedure of the Council or such committee not affecting the merits ofthe case. (10) The Council shall meet at such times and places and shall observe such rules of procedure inregard to the transaction of business at its meetings (including the quorum at meetings) as may beprescribed.

(1) The Chairman shall be entitled to such salary and allowances and shall be subject to suchconditions of service in respect of leave, pension, provident fund and other matters as may from time totime be fixed by the Central Government. (2) The other members of the Council shall receive such allowances as may be fixed by the CentralGovernment.

(1) The Council may appoint such committees as may be necessaryfor the efficient discharge of its duties and performance of its functions under this Act. (2) The Council shall have the power to co-opt as members of any committee appointed undersub-section (1) such number of persons who are not members of the Council as it may think fit and thepersons so co-opted shall have the right to attend meetings of the committee and take part in its4proceedings but shall not have the right to vote. (3) The persons co-opted as members of a committee under sub-section (2) shall be entitled to receivesuch allowances or fees for attending the meetings of the committee as may be fixed by the CentralGovernment.