Powers and duties of Marketing Board.

Powers and duties of Marketing Board

1. (1) It shall be the duty of the Marketing Board to implement the provisions of this Act, the rules and bye-laws made thereunder in the market area, to provide facilities for marketing of agricultural produce in the market area as directed by the State Marketing Officer or the Government, as the case may be, and do such other acts as may be required in relation to the superintendence, direction and control of markets or for regulating marketing of agricultural produce in any place in the market area and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid and for that purpose may exercise such powers, perform such duties and discharge such functions as may be provided by or under this Act.
2. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, the Marketing Board may,—
   • (a) regulate the entry of persons and of vehicular traffic into the market;
   • (b) supervise the behaviour of the persons who enter the market for transacting business;
   • (c) grant, renew, refuse, suspend or cancel licences;
   • (d) maintain and manage the market, including admissions to and conditions for use of market within the market area;
   • (e) provide for necessary facilities required for the marketing of agricultural produce within the market in the market area;
   • (f) regulate and supervise the auctions of notified agricultural produce in accordance with the provisions and procedure laid down under the rules made under this Act or the Bye-laws of the Marketing Board;
   • (g) regulate the making, carrying out and enforcement or cancellation of agreements of sales, weighment, delivery, payment and all other matters relating to marketing of notified agricultural produce in the prescribed manner;
   • (h) take all possible steps to prevent adulteration and to promote and organize grading and standardization of agricultural produce;
     • (i) take measures for the prevention of purchase and sale below the minimum support prices as fixed by the Government from time to time;
   • (j) collect, maintain, disseminate and supply information in respect of production, sales, storage, processing, prices and movement of notified agricultural produce including information relating to crops, statistics and marketing intelligence as may be required by the State Marketing Officer;
   • (k) arrange to obtain fitness (health) certificate from veterinary doctor in respect of animals, cattle, birds, etc., which are bought or sold in the market area;
   • (l) carry out the publicity about the benefits of regulation, system of transaction facilities provided in the market area through such media as, in the opinion of the Marketing Board, may be effective or necessary;
   • (m) provide for settlement of disputes arising out of any kind of transactions connected with the marketing of agricultural produce and all matters incidental and ancillary thereto;
   • (n) subject to the provisions of section 11, acquire, hold or dispose off any movable or immovable property for the purpose of efficiently carrying out it’s duties;
   • (o) institute or defend any suit, prosecution, action, proceedings, application or arbitration and compromise such suit or action;
   • (p) make arrangement for holding of elections of the Marketing Board in the prescribed manner;
   • (q) levy, take, recover and receive charges, fees, rates and other sums or money to which the Marketing Board is entitled;
   • (r) subject to approval of the State Marketing Officer, obtain loans, subsidies, subventions from the State and Central Government or any financing agency for providing warehousing and marketing facilities in the market;
   • (s) subject to approval of the State Marketing Officer, prepare budgets, supplementary budgets, make re-appropriation in the budget and incur expenditure accordingly;
   • (t) keep a set of standard weights and measures in the markets against which weighment and measurement may be checked;
   • (u) inspect and verify the scales, weights and measures which are in use in the market area and also the books of accounts and other documents maintained by the licensee in such manner as may be prescribed;
     • (v) administer the Marketing Board Fund referred to in section 44 of this Act and maintain the account thereof and get the same audited in the prescribed manner;
   • (w) prosecute persons for violating the provisions of this Act, the rules and bye- laws framed thereunder;
     • (x) provide storage and warehousing facilities in the market area;
   • (y) with the prior sanction of the Government or the State Marketing Officer, undertake any other activity conducive to the promotion or regulation of marketing of agricultural produce;
   • (z) perform such other duties as may be prescribed;