Powers and duties of the market committee

1Powers and duties of the market committee

1. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, it shall be the duty of the market committee -
   • (i) To implement the provisions of this Act, the rules and the bye-laws made there under, in the market area;
   • (ii) To provide such facilities for marketing of agricultural produce therein as the Director or the State Government may from time to time direct;
   • (iii) To do such other Acts as may be required in relation to the superintendence, direction and control of market or for regulating marketing of agricultural produce in any place in the market area, and for the purposes connected with the matters aforesaid, and for that purpose may exercise such powers and discharge such functions as may be provided by or under this Act; and
   • (iv) To do such other things as might be required for the purpose of achieving the objects and requirements of this Act, the rules and bye-laws made there under and for facilitating working of the market committee.
2. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions market committee may -
   • (i) Maintain and manage the principal market yards and sub-market yards within the market area;
   • (ii) Provide the necessary facilities for the marketing of agricultural produce within the principal market yard and outside the principal market yard and within the sub-market yards and outside the sub-market yards in the market area;
   • (iii) Issue or refuse to issue Licence to traders, brokers, weighmen, measurers, surveyors, warehousemen and other persons to operate in the market area and renew, suspend or cancel such Licence, supervise the conduct of the traders, brokers, weighmen, measurers, surveyors, warehousemen and other persons operating in the market area and enforce conditions of Licence;
   • (iv) Regulate or supervise the auction of agricultural produce in accordance with the provision and procedure laid down under the rules made under this Act or bye-laws of the market committee;
   • (v) Conduct or supervise the auction of agricultural produce in accordance with the procedure laid down under the ruled made under this Act or byelaws of the market committee;
   • (vi) Regulate the making, carrying out and enforcement or cancellation of agreement of sale, weighment, delivery, payment and all other matters relating to the market of agricultural produce in the prescribed manner;
   • (vii) Provide for the settlement of all disputes between the seller and the buyer arising out of any kind of transaction connected with the marketing of agricultural produce and all matters ancillary thereto;
   • (viii) Take all possible steps to prevent adulteration of agricultural produce;
   • (ix) Provide for grading and standardization of agricultural produce;
   • (x) Make arrangements for employing by rotation, weighmen and hammals for weighing and transporting of goods in respect of transactions held in the market yard;
   • (xi) Set up and promote public partnership in establishment of an Agricultural Marketing Extension Unit to carry out extension Activities in its area viz., collection, maintenance and dissemination of information in respect of production, sale, storage, processing, prices and movement of agricultural produce;
   • (xii) Take measures for the prevention of purchases and sales below the minimum support prices as fixed by the Government from time to time;
   • (xiii) Levy, recover and receive rates, charges, fees and other sums of money to which the market committee is entitled;
   • (xiv) Employ the necessary number of officers and servants for the efficient implementations of the provisions of this Act, the rules and the bye-laws made there under;
   • (xv) Regulate the entry of persons and vehicles, traffic into the principal market yard and sub-market yards vesting in the market committee;
   • (xvi) Prosecute persons for violating the provisions of this Act, the rules and the bye-laws and compound such offence;
   • (xvii) Allotment/disposal of land or any movable or immovable property for the purpose of efficiently carrying out its duties; (xviii) Institute or defend any suit, proceeding, application or arbitration and compromise such suit, proceeding, application or arbitration;
   • (xix) Make payment of pay, pension, allowances, gratuities, contribution towards leave allowance, pensions or provident fund of the officers and servants employed by the market committee in the prescribed manner;
   • (xx) Administer market committee fund and maintain the account there of in the prescribed manner;
   • (xxi) Keep a set of standard weights and measures in each principal market yard and sub- market yard against which weighment and measurement may be checked;
   • (xxii) Inspect and verify scales, weights and measures in use in a market area and also the books of accounts and other documents maintained by the traders, brokers, weighmen, measurers, surveyors, warehousemen and other persons to operate in the market area in such manner as may be prescribed; (xxiii) Carry out publicity about the benefits of regulation, the system of transaction, facilities provided in the market yard etc. through such means as posters, pamphlets, hoardings, cinema slides, film shows, group meetings etc., or through any other means considered more effective or necessary;
   • (xxiv) Ensure payment in respect of transactions which take place in the market yard or market area to be made on the same day to the seller, and in default to seize the agricultural produce in question along with other property of the person concerned and to arrange for resale thereof and in the event of loss, to recover the same from the original buyer together with charges for recovery of losses, if any, from the original buyer and effect payment of the price of the agricultural produce to the seller;
   • (xxv) Recover the charges in respect of weighmen and hammals and distribute the same to weighmen and hammals if not paid by the purchaser or seller, as the case may be; (xxvi) With the prior sanction of the State Government, undertake the construction of roads in the market area to facilitate movement of agricultural produce to the market for benefit of producers, sellers, traders operating in the market area; (xxvii) Collect and maintain information in respect of production, sale, storage, processing, prices and movement of agricultural produce and disseminate such information as directed by the Director; and (xxviii) With a view to maintain stability in the market, -
   • (a) take suitable measures to ensure that traders do not buy agricultural produce beyond their capacity and avoid risk to the sellers in disposing off the produce; and
   • (b) grant Licence only after obtaining necessary security in cash or bank guarantee according to the capacity of the buyers.
3. (3) With the prior sanction of the Director the market committee may, at its discretion, under take to give grant or advance funds to the Board, the Public Works Department or any other Department or a public undertaking or any other agency authorized by the Director for the construction of roads or godowns in the market area to facilitate transportation and storage of agricultural produce or for the purpose of development of the market yard.
4. (4) In addition to the duties aforementioned the market committee shall also be responsible for -
   • (a) the Maintenance of proper checks on all receipts and payment by its officers;
   • (b) the proper execution of all works chargeable to the market committee fund; and
   • (c) keeping a copy of this Act and of the rules and notifications issued there under and of its bye-laws, open to inspection free of charge at its office.