Chapter II ESTABLISHMENT, PROCEEDINGS AND DUTIES OF THE STATE ADVISORY BOARD

The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, establish for the purposes of this Act a Board by the name of “the Maharashtra State Cotton Control Advisory Board.”

1. (1) The Board shall consist of the following members:—
   • (a) the Minister of State for Co-operation, Maharashtra State, ex-officio Chairman;
   • (b) the Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra, Agriculture and Co-operation Department (Co-operation Wing), ex-officio Vice-Chairman;
   • (c) one representative of the Ministry of Agriculture, appointed by the Central Government, ex-officio;
   • (d) the Chairman, Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation, ex-officio or his representative;
   • (e) the Managing Director, Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation, ex-officio or his representative;
   • (f) the Managing Director, Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank, ex-officio or his representative;
   • (g) the Managing Director, Cotton Corporation of India Ltd., ex-officio or his representative;
   • (h) the Managing Director, Maharashtra State Textile Corporation Ltd., ex-officio or his representative;
     • (i) the Chairman, Maharashtra Rajya Bazar Samiti Sahakari Sangh, ex-officio or his representative;
   • (j) the Director of Agriculture, ex-officio, or his representative;
   • (k) the Director of Marketing, ex-officio, and until such Director is appointed the Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies (Marketing), ex-officio:
   • (l) three representatives of cotton growers, appointed by the State Government;
   • (m) one representative of textile mills appointed by the State Government;
   • (n) one representative of Co-operative Spinning Mills, appointed by the State Government;
   • (o) one representative of the Co-operative Ginning and Pressing factories appointed by the State Government;
   • (p) one representative of East India Cotton Association appointed by the State Government;
   • (q) a Deputy Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra in the Agriculture and Co-operation Department, designated by the State Government in this behalf, who shall also be the Secretary to the Board.
2. (2) The names of the non-official Members appointed by the State Government shall be published in the Official Gazette.

The headquarters of the Board shall be in Greater Bombay.

1. (1) Every non-official Member shall hold office for a period of three years from the date of his appointment: Provided that, the State Government may extend the said period by a further period not exceeding one year : Provided further that, after the expiry of the period of his appointment, a person shall, unless disqualified or removed, be eligible for reappointment.
2. (2) Every non-official Member shall receive from the State Government such allowances for the purpose of meeting the personal expenditure incurred in attending the meeting of the Board or in performing any other functions as such Member, as may be prescribed.

Any non-official Member may at any time resign his office by writing under his hand addressed to the State Government, and upon the acceptance thereof the office of the Member shall become vacant.

If any Member is by infirmity or otherwise rendered temporarily incapable of carrying out his duties or is absent on leave or otherwise, not involving the vacation of his appointment, the State Government may appoint another person to officiate for him and carry out his functions under this Act or any rules or regulations made thereunder.

Disqualification of non-official Members. 9. A person shall be disqualified for being appointed or continuing as a non-official Member, if he--

1. (a) holds any office or place of profit under the State Government (except when he is appointed under clause
2. (j) of sub-section

1. (1) of section 4);
   • (b) is of unsound mind, and stands so declared by a competent Court; (c

Removal of Members. 10. If the State Government is of opinion that, any Member is guilty of misconduct in the discharge of his duties, or is incompetent to perform or has become incapable of performing his duties as a Member or should for any other good and sufficient reason be removed, the State Government may, after giving the Member an opportunity to show cause against his removal, by notification in the Official Gazette, remove him from office.

If a non-official Member,—

1. (a) becomes subject to any of the disqualifications mentioned in section 9, or
2. (b) is absent without the permission of the Board from all meetings of the Board for a period of two successive months, he shall cease to be a member.

Filling of vacancies.

12.

1. (1) In the event of a vacancy in the office of any Member, the vacancy may be filled by the State Government, and the person so appointed shall hold office so long only as the Member in whose place he is appointed would have held office.
2. (2) A vacancy of a Member shall be filled as early as practicable :

Meetings of the Board Meetings of the Board. 13.

1. (1) The Board shall meet at such times, at least once in a month, and at such places as the Chairman, may determine.
2. (2) The Chairman, or in his absence the Vice-Chairman, shall preside at a meeting of the Board. In the absence of both, the meeting shall be presided over by one of the members present as may be chosen by the meeting to be the Chairman for the meeting.
3. (3) One-third of the total number of members of the Board shall be the quorum required to constitute a meeting of the Board.
4. (4) Minutes shall be kept of the names of the Members present and of others who attend the meetings of the Board under the provisions of this Act, and of the proceedings of each meeting, in a minute book to be kept for the purpose.

Proceedings presumed to be good and valid Proceedings presumed to be good and valid. No act or proceeding of the Board or any of its committees shall be invalid by reason only of a vacancy therein, or any defect in the appointment of any person acting as the Chairman or Vice-Chairman or Member, if such act or proceeding is otherwise in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

1. (1) The Board may, with the previous sanction of the State Government, associate with itself or consult such persons whose assistance or advice it may require, for the purpose of performing any of its functions under this Act; such persons may be paid such remuneration or fees or allowances as may be sanctioned by the State Government.
2. (2) The person so assisting or advising the Board may take part in the discussions of the Board relevant to the purpose for which he is associated or consulted.

Subject to the control, direction and superintendence of the State Government, it shall be the duty of the Board—

1. (a) to advise the State Government with regard to the policy to be adopted in the matter of cultivation of cotton in the State and grading and marketing of cotton with a view to ensure a fair price to the grower and the giving effect to the other objectives of this Act;
2. (b) to recommend the places at which the collection centres may be located;
3. (c) to advise the State Government in the matter of fixation of final prices of different varieties of cotton;
4. (d) to recommend the number and places of godowns required for storing cotton, and the cotton ginning and pressing factories required for processing cotton and if necessary for requisitioning godowns or factories;
5. (e) to advise the State Government with regard to the policy to be adopted for disposal of cotton-seed and cotton-waste;
6. (f) to advise the State Government on any other matter connected with the administration of this Act in respect of which that Government may consider it necessary to obtain the advice of the Board;
7. (g) to advise the State Government on all other matters to facilitate the proper carrying out of the purposes of this Act.