Chapter II THE PULSES BOARD

1. (1) With effect from such date as the Government may, by notification appoint in this behalf, there shall be established for the purposes of this Act, a Board to be called the Andhra Pradesh Pulses Board.
2. (2) The Board shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and common seal, with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and to contract and shall by the said name sue and be sued.
3. (3) The Head Office of the Board shall be located at such place as the Government may specify.
4. (4) The Board shall consist of the following members, namely: -
   • (a) A Chairman, to be appointed by the Government;
   • (b) A Managing Director who shall be ex-officio Commissioner of Agriculture or Commissioner of Agricultural Marketing or Managing Director of AP MARKFED, appointed by the Government;
   • (c) One Member of Legislative Assembly and One Member of Legislative Council of the State nominated by the Government;
   • (d) Commissioner of Agriculture; (if he/she is not the Managing Director);
   • (e) Commissioner of Agricultural Marketing; (If he/she is not the Managing Director);
   • (f) Managing Director, AP MARKFED; (if he/she is not the Managing Director);
   • (g) Commissioner of Civil Supplies;
   • (h) Secretary/Commissioner, food processing;
     • (i) Managing Director, State Ware Housing Corporation;
   • (j) Commissioner, Tribal Welfare;
   • (k) Commissioner, Women and Child Development;
   • (l) One officer each from Department of Agriculture, and Department of Commerce, Government of India nominated by the respective departments;
   • (m) One (1) Chairman of the Agricultural Marketing Committee (AMC) from among the AMCs in whose notified area Pulses are grown by large number of farmers;
   • (n) Two Principal Scientists from All India Coordinated Research Programme for Pulses;
   • (o) Three (3) representatives of Pulses farming community to be spread across the State;
   • (p) Three (3) representatives from Agro Industries / Pulses Processing Industry / Exporters / Experts/Non-Government Organisations (NGO’s) / Foundations in the State;
   • (q) The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Board;
   • (r) Four (4) Chief Technical Officers (CTO) of the Board; (s). Vice Chancellor of Agricultural University of the State of Andhra Pradesh or his representative;
   • (t) Two (2) members to be appointed by the Government to represent such other interests connected with the Pulses industry as, in the opinion of the Government, ought to be represented;
   • (u) One (1) representative of National Institute of Nutrition;
     • (v) Chairman or the Managing Director will be competent to invite any other official or expert in the meeting of the board whose services may help in achieving the goals envisaged in the Act. However, such invitees shall not have the right to vote.
5. (5) The term of office of the members and the manner of filling vacancies among, and the procedure to be followed in the discharge of their functions by the members shall be such as may be prescribed.
6. (6) No act or proceeding of the Board or any committee appointed by it under section 6 shall be invalidated merely by reason of,-
   • (a) any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of the Board or such committee; or
   • (b) any defect in the appointment of a person acting as a member of the Board or such committee; or
   • (c) any irregularity in the procedure of the Board or such Committee not affecting the merits of the case.
7. (7) The Board shall meet at such times and places and shall observe such rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings (including the quorum at meetings) as may be provided by regulations made by the Board under this Act.

Functions of the Board

1. (1) It shall be the duty of the Board to promote, by such measures as it thinks fit, the development under the control of the Government, of the Pulses crop and Pulses industry.
2. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (1), the measures referred to therein may provide for,-
   • (a) adopting measures for the development of Pulses industry so that farmers, particularly small farmers, may become participants in and beneficiaries of the development and growth of Pulses industry;
   • (b) providing financial or other assistance for the development of high yielding Pulses hybrids, adoption of improved methods and modern technology for cultivation of Pulses, and extension of areas under pulses cultivation with a view to improving the growth of Pulses industry;
   • (c) encourage organic production of Pulses;
   • (d) recommending measures for improving the marketing of Pulses and its products in India including but not limited to providing storage facilities, value addition, integration with national markets;
   • (e) adopting such measures as may be practicable for assisting Pulses growers to get incentive prices including recommending, as and when necessary, minimum and maximum prices for Pulses and its products;
   • (f) develop, promote and regulate export of Pulses and its products;
   • (g) implementing suitable quality standards and introduce certification of quality through “Quality Marking” for Pulses for export;
   • (h) collecting statistics from growers, traders, processor of Pulses and manufacturer of Pulses products and such other persons and institutions as may be prescribed, on any matter relating to Pulses industry;
     • (i) fixing grades, specifications and standards for Pulses and its products;
   • (j) undertaking such publicity and publishing such periodicals, books or bulletins, on the research and development of Pulses and its products, as may be found necessary;
   • (k) assist and encourage studies and research for improvement of productivity, processing, quality, techniques of grading and packaging of Pulses and their products;
   • (l) such other measures as may, having regard to the purposes of this Act, be prescribed by the Government;
   • (m) in doing the above functions, the board shall work in close liaison with other national and State Government agencies so that there is no duplication of efforts.
3. (3) The Board shall perform its functions under this section in accordance with, and subject to, such rules as may be made by the Government.

1. (1) The Managing Director shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Board and he is responsible of administration.
2. (2) The Managing Director shall be responsible for implementation of the decision of the Board and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed or as may be delegated to him by the Board. He shall have the right to attend the meetings of the Board and its committees appointed under section 6 and take part in the proceedings thereof.
3. (3) The Government shall appoint an Administrative Officer to the Board who shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed or as may be delegated to him by the Managing Director.
4. (4) The Managing Director and the Administrative Officer shall be entitled to such salaries and allowances and shall be subject to such conditions of service in respect of leave, pension, provident fund and other matters as may, from time to time, be fixed by the Government.
5. (5) Subject to such control and restrictions as may be prescribed, the Board may appoint such other officers and employees as may be necessary for the efficient performance of its functions and the method of appointment, the conditions of service and the scales of pay and allowances of such other officers and employees of the Board shall be such as may be provided by the Board with the approval of the Government.

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

1. (1) The Chairman shall be entitled to such salary and allowances and shall be subject to such conditions of service as may, from time to time, be fixed by the Government.
2. (2) The members of the Board shall receive such allowances as may be fixed by the State Government.

A member may resign from his office by giving notice thereof in writing to the Government and on such resignation being accepted, he shall be deemed to have vacated his office.

1. (1) The Government may, by notification in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette and for reasons to be specified therein, direct that the Board shall be dissolved from such date and for such period as may be specified in the notification: Provided that before issuing any such notification, the Government shall give a reasonable opportunity to the Board to make representations against the proposed dissolution and shall consider the representations, if any, of the Board.
2. (2) When the Board is dissolved under sub-section (1) aforesaid,-
   • (a) all members, not withstanding that their term of office has not expired, shall, from the date of dissolution, vacate their offices as such members;
   • (b) all powers and duties of the Board shall, during the period of dissolution, be exercised and performed by such person or persons as the Government may appoint in this behalf and their remuneration shall be such as may be prescribed;
   • (c) all funds and other properties vested in the Board shall, during the period of dissolution, vest in the Government; and
   • (d) as soon as the period of dissolution, expires, the Board shall be reconstituted in accordance with the provisions of this Act.