THE PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH BOARD ACT 1997

(Act XIV of 1997)

C O N T E N T S

 

Section                                Heading

 

        1.           Short title, extent and commencement.

        2.           Incorporation.

        3.           Functions and powers of the Board.

        4.           Composition of the Board.

        5.           Supervision of the Government.

        6.           Business of the Board.

        7.           Chief Executive.

        8.           Committees.

        9.           Appointments.

       10.          Board Fund.

       11.          Budget, audit and accounts.

       12.          Rules.

       13.          Regulations.

       14.          Removal of difficulties.

       15.          Savings.

       16.          Repeal.

 

 

[1]THE PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH BOARD ACT 1997

(Act XIV of 1997)

[28 November 1997]

 

An Act to provide for the establishment of the Punjab

Agricultural Research Board and matters ancillary thereto.

 

Preamble.– Whereas it is expedient to make provisions for the establishment of the Punjab Agricultural Research Board;

      It is hereby enacted as follows:-

 

1.   Short title, extent and commencement.– (1) This Act may be called the Punjab Agricultural Research Board Act 1997.

      (2)  It extends to the whole of the Province of the Punjab.

      (3)  It shall come into force at once.

 

2.   Incorporation.– (1) The Government may establish a Board to be called the Punjab Agricultural Research Board.

      (2)  The Board shall be a body corporate, having perpetual succession and a common seal with powers to acquire, hold and dispose of property and shall by the said name sue and be sued.

 

3.   Functions and powers of the Board.– The Board shall take all such measures as it deems necessary for the promotion, development and conduct of agricultural research in the Punjab.

      Explanation.– In this Act “agricultural research” means research in respect of all subjects and activities related to crops, plants, livestock & dairy development, poultry, fisheries, forestry, wildlife, ecology, range management, agricultural engineering, water management, irrigation and such other activities and subjects as the Government may declare as “agricultural research.”

 

4.   Composition of the Board.– (1) The Government shall appoint a Board, which shall consist of not more than [2][sixteen] members including the chairman.

      (2)  The Minister incharge of the Department shall be the chairman of the Board.

      [3][(3)  Not less than three members of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab including at least one female member and three representatives of the farmers including at least one female representative shall be the members of the Board.]

      (4)  The members of the Board, other than ex-officio members, shall hold office for a period of three years and shall be eligible for re-nomination:

      Provided that a member of the Assembly, nominated on the Board, shall hold office during his membership of the Assembly.

      (5)  A member of the Board, other than ex-officio members, may, by writing under his hand addressed to the chairman, resign his office.

 

5.   Supervision of the Government.– The affairs of the Board shall be conducted subject to the supervision and control of the Government.

 

6.   Business of the Board.– (1) The meetings or the business of the Board shall be conducted in such manner and in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed and until these matters are prescribed as may be determined by the Board.

      (2)  No act or proceeding of the Board shall be invalid by reason of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Board.

 

7.   Chief Executive.– (1) The Government shall appoint a Chief Executive of the Board, and the terms and conditions of his service shall be such as may be determined by the Government.

      (2)  The Chief Executive shall be the chief executive of the Board and shall perform such functions as may be prescribed or as may be assigned to him by the Board.

 

8.   Committees.– The Board may constitute such committees as may be deemed necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

 

9.   Appointments.– (1) The Board, on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed, may appoint such persons in its service as may be necessary.

      (2)  All direct appointments shall be made on merit determined through open competition, from amongst duly qualified persons.

 

10.    Board Fund.– (1) There shall be a fund to be known as the Punjab Agricultural Board Fund which shall vest in the Board and to which shall be credited all sums received by the Board.

      (2)  The Fund shall be kept in such custody and utilized and regulated in such manner as may be prescribed.

11.    Budget, audit and accounts.– The budget of the Board shall be approved and its accounts shall be maintained and audited in such manner as may be prescribed.

 

12.    Rules.– The Government may make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

 

13.    Regulations.– The Board may, by notification, make regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder for the administration and management of the affairs of the Board.

 

14.    Removal of difficulties.– If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Government may make such order as is not inconsistent with the Act, to remove the difficulty.

 

15.    Savings.– Upon the commencement of this Act–

         (a)  all funds, properties, rights and interests of whatsoever kind issued, used, enjoyed, possessed, owned or vested in the Punjab Agricultural Research Co-ordination Board as constituted through the Government of the Punjab, Agriculture Department’s Notification No.SO(R&E)-8(1)/78 dated 6th January 1979 and all liabilities subsisting against the said Board shall stand transferred to the Board established under this Act; and

         (b)  every thing done, action taken, obligations and liabilities incurred, rights and assets acquired, persons appointed or authorized, jurisdictions or powers conferred, endowments, bequests, funds or trusts created, donations or grants made, orders issued and rules or regulations made by or in relation to the Board immediately before the commencement of this Act shall be deemed to have been respectively done, taken, incurred, acquired, appointed, conferred, created, made or issued under this Act.

 

16.    Repeal.– The Punjab Agricultural Research Board Ordinance, 1997 (XXX of 1997) is hereby repealed.

 



[1]This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 24th October, 1997; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 28th October, 1997; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 28th November, 1997, pages 2065 to 2067.

[2]Substituted for the word “fifteen” by the Punjab Fair Representation of Women Act 2014 (IV of 2014).

[3]Substituted for sub-section (3) by the Punjab Fair Representation of Women Act 2014 (IV of 2014) which reads as under:-

  “(3)        Not less than five members of the Board shall be from amongst the members of the Assembly and the representatives of the farmers.”