State Act

The Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961

26. The Marketing Development Fund shall be utilised for the following purposes:- (i) better marketing of agricultural produce; (ii) marketing of agricultural produce on co-operative lines; (iii) collection and dissemination of market rates and news; (iv) grading and standardisation of agricultural produce; (v) general improvements in the markets or their respective notified market areas; (vi) maintenance of the office of the Board and construction and repair of its office buildings, rest-house and staff quarters; (vii) giving aid to financially weak Committees in the shape of loans and grants; 2[(vii-a) repayment of loans and payment of interest thereon;] (viii) payment of salary, leave allowance, gratuity, compassionate allowance, compensation for injuries or death resulting from accidents while on duty, medical aid, pension or provident fund to the persons employed by the Board and leave and pension contribution to Government servants on deputation; (ix) travelling and other allowances to the employees of the Board, its members and members of Advisory Committees; 1[(x) * * * * * (xi) * * * * * ] 2[(xi-a) payment of premium on insurance of farmers, who sell their produce in the markets established under this Act;] (xii) meeting any legal expenses incurred by the Board; 3[(xiii) imparting education in marketing or agriculture directly by the Board or through Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana or any other body as may be specified by the State Government by notification; (xiv) construction of godowns and construction or repair of link roads, approach roads, culverts, bridges and other such purposes;] (xv) loans and advances to the employees; (xvi) expenses incurred in auditing the accounts of the Board; 4[(xvii) with the previous sanction of the State Government, any other purpose which is calculated to promote the general interests of the Board and the Committees:] Provided that if the Board decides to give aid of more than five thousand rupees to a financially weak Committee under clause (vii), the prior approval of the State Government to such payment shall be obtained. 1[(xviii) establishment of regulatory system and to create infrastructure for e-trading platform, e-marketing, direct marketing, e-trading, producer and consumer marketing and producer marketing; (xix) providing infrastructure for grading, standardization and packaging of agricultural produce; (xx) to create and promote an infrastructure on its own or through public private partnership for a market yard of a notified market area and value addition such as cleaning, ripening, standardization, grading, packaging and post harvest handling of agricultural produce; (xxi) construction, repair, maintenance of link roads and passages to market yard.]; 2[(xxii) providing relief to debt stressed farmers of the State;]and 3[(xxiii) contribution for Price Stabilization Fund.]