Chapter II THE NIMACHAL BRADESH KHADI AND VILLAGE INDUSTRIES BOARD

Establishment of the Board.-

1. (1) With effect from such date as the Government of Himachal Pradesh, may, by notification in the Official Gazette, fix in this behalf, there shall be established for the purposes of this Act a Board to be called the Himachal Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board.
2. (2) The Board shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property and to contract and may, by the said name sue and be sued: Provided that any lease, sale or the transfer to any person or authority other than the commission of any immovable property belonging to the Board shall be null and void unless it is sanctioned by the Government of Himachal Pradesh.

Constitution of the Board.-

1. (1) The Board shall consist of not less than three and not more than nine members appointed by the Government of Himachal Pradesh after consultation with the Commission from among :-
   • (a) non-officials, who in the opinion of Government of Himachal Pradesh have shown active interest in the production and development of Khadi and village industries; and
   • (b) officials.
2. (2) The Government of Himachal Pradesh shall, after consultation with the Commission, nominate one of the members of the Board to be the Chairman thereof.
3. (3) The Chairman shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed.

Vice-Chairman.- The Government of Himachal Pradesh may, after consultation with the Commission, appoint from among the other members not being officials, a Vice-Chairman who shall exercise such of the powers and discharge such of the duties of the Chairman as may be prescribed or as may be delegated to him by the Chairman.

Secretary.- The Government of Himachal Pradesh shall appoint, after consultation with the Commission, a member other than the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman to be the Secretary of the Board who shall exercise such powers and discharge such duties as may be prescribed or as may be delegated to him by the Chairman.

Resignation of office by members.- Any member may resign his office by giving notice in writing to the Government of Himachal Pradesh and, on such resignation being notified in the Official Gazette by the Government of Himachal Pradesh, shall be deemed to have vacated his office.

Vacancies etc. not to invalidate acts and proceedings of the Board or any of its committees.- No act or proceeding of the Board or any of its committees shall be invalid by reason only of the existence of any vacancy in its membership or by reason of any defect in the constitution thereof.

Temporary association of persons with the Board for particular purposes.-

1. (1) The Board may associate with itself in such manner and for such purposes as may be determined by regulations made under this Act, any person whose assistance or advice it may desire in complying with any of the provisions of this Act.
2. (2) A person associated with the Board under sub-section
3. (1) for any purpose shall have the right to take part in the discussions of the Board relevant to that purpose, but shall not have the right to vote and shall not be a member for any other purpose.
4. (3) The Government of Himachal Pradesh may, by order, depute one or more officers of the Government to attend any meeting of the Board and to take part in any discussions of the Board, but such officer or officers shall not have the right to vote.

Meetings of the Board.-

1. (1) The Board shall meet at such times and places and shall, subject to the provisions of sub-sections
2. (2) to (4), 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 : Provided that the Board shall meet at least once in every two months.
3. (2) The Chairman may, whenever he thinks fit, call a special meeting of the Board.
4. (3) The Chairman or, in his absence, the Vice-chairman or, in the absence of both the Chairman and the Vice-chairman, any member chosen by the members present from among themselves, shall preside at a meeting of the Board.
5. (4) All questions at a meeting of the Board shall be decided by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting and in the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman or, in his absence the person presiding, shall have a second or casting vote.
6. (5) Minutes of the proceedings of each meeting of the Board shall be drawn up and recorded in a register to be kept for that purpose, and shall be laid before the next ensuing meeting of the Board and signed at such meeting by the presiding officer thereof and copies of such minutes shall be forwarded to the Government of Himachal Pradesh and the Commission within fifteen days from the date on which they are signed as aforesaid.

Term of office and conditions of service of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and other members.- The term of office and the terms and conditions of service of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and other members shall be such as may be prescribed.

Standing committees.-

1. (1) There shall be constituted from amongst the members in the prescribed manner a Standing Finance Committee which shall exercise such of the powers relating to the finance, of the Board as may be specified by regulations made by the Board under this Act.
2. (2) The Board may constitute such other standing committees consisting of such number of members and in such manner as may be prescribed for exercising any power or discharging any duty of the Board, or for enquiring into, or reporting and advising on, any matter which the Board may refer to them.
3. (3) The Standing Finance Committee or any other standing committee constituted under this section 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.

Officers and servants of the Board.-

1. (1) The Government of Himachal Pradesh shall appoint a person, not being a member, to be the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer who shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed.
2. (2) The State Government shall appoint a person, not being a member, to be the Chief Executive Officer of the Board and he shall exercise such powers and duties as may be prescribed or as may, with the approval of the State Government, be delegated to him by the Chairman.
3. (3) The State Government may, for the efficient performance of the functions of the Board, appoint a person, not being a member, to be the Executive Officer of the Board and he shall exercise such powers and duties as may, with the approval of the State Government, be delegated to him by the Chairman.
4. (4) Subject to such rules as may be made by the Government of Himachal Pradesh in this behalf, the Board may appoint such other officers and servants as it considers necessary for the efficient performance of its functions: Provided that no person whose honorarium or the maximum salary exceeds three hundred rupees per month shall be appointed by the Board except with the previous approval of the Government of Himachal Pradesh.