(1) This Act may be called the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951.
In this Act unless the context otherwise requires,--
(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, establish a Financial Corporation for the State under such name as may be specified in the notification.
1[3A. Establishment of Joint Financial Corporations.--(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 3, two or more States may, after consultation with the 2[Small Industries Bank], enter into an agreement that there shall be one Financial Corporation for the group of States participating in the agreement and if the agreement is published in the Official Gazette of each of those States, the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, establish a Joint Financial Corporation to serve the needs of those States under such name as may be specified in the notification.
1[(1) The authorised capital of the Financial Corporation shall be such sum as may be fixed by the State Government in this behalf, but it shall not be less than fifty lakhs of rupees or exceed five hundred crores of rupees:
2[4A. Special class of shares.--3[(1) The State Government may, in consultation with the 1[Small Industries Bank], specify from time to time such part of the unissued capital of the Financial Corporation as shall be allocated for the issue of a special class of shares.]
1[4B. Transfer of share capital to Development Bank .--On such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify (hereinafter referred to as the specified date), all the shares of every Financial Corporation subscribed by the Reserve Bank as on the date immediately preceding the specified date, shall, stand transferred to, and vested in, the Development Bank.]
1[4C. Payment of amount.--The Reserve Bank shall be given by the Development Bank, in cash, for the transfer to, and vesting in, the Development Bank of the shares of every Financial Corporation which have been subscribed by the Reserve Bank, an amount equal to the face value of the shares of the Financial Corporation so subscribed.]
1[4D. Issue of redeemable preference shares.--(1) On and after the commencement of the State Financial Corporations (Amendment) Act, 2000, the Financial Corporation may--
1[4E. Reduction of share capital.--(1) The Financial Corporation, with the prior approval of the State Government and the Small Industries Bank, may, by resolution passed in a general meeting of the shareholders, reduce its share capital in any way.
1[4F. Restriction on exercising of voting right.--Every shareholder of the Financial Corporation holding equity shares shall have a right to vote in respect of such shares on every resolution and his voting right on a poll shall be in proportion to his share of the paid-up equity capital of the Financial Corporation:
1[4G. Proxy voting.--In a general meeting referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 4D and sub-section (1) of section 4E, the resolution for conversion or reduction of share capital shall be passed by shareholders entitled to vote, voting in person, or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy, and the votes cast in favour of the resolution are not less than three times the number of votes, if any, cast against the resolution by shareholders so entitled and voting.]
1[4H. Transfer of share capital to Small Industries Bank.--On such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, notify (hereinafter referred to as the notified date) all the shares of every Financial Corporation subscribed by the Development Bank and the amount outstanding in respect of loans in lieu of capital provided by the Development Bank as on the date immediately preceding the notified date, shall stand transferred to, and vested in, the Small Industries Bank, such transfer shall be at such rate and be paid in cash or such other manner as may be mutually agreed upon between the Development Bank and the Small Industries Bank.]
1[5. Transfer of shares. -- (1) Save as otherwise provided in sub-section (2), the shares of the Financial Corporation shall be freely transferable.
1[6. Conversion of shares guaranteed by State Government.--(1) On the commencement of the State Financial Corporations (Amendment) Act, 2000, every shareholder shall be given by the Financial Corporation an option to require the Financial Corporation to convert the shares held by him into shares of the same nominal value without the State Government guarantee and issue fresh share certificate or to pay the amount paid in respect of such shares not exceeding the face value of the shares held by him.
1[7. Additional capital of Financial Corporation and its borrowing powers.--(1) The Financial Corporation may issue and sell bonds and debentures for the purpose of increasing its working capital.
1[8. Deposits with Financial Corporation.--(1) The Financial Corporation may accept from the State Government, or with the prior approval of the Reserve Bank, from a local authority or any other person deposits repayable after the expiry of a period which shall not be less than twelve months from the date of the making of the deposit and on such other terms as the Board thinks fit:
1[9. Management.-- (1) The general superintendence, direction and management of affairs and business of the Financial Corporation shall vest in a Board of directors which may exercise all powers and do all such acts and things, as may be exercised or done by the Financial Corporation and are not by this Act expressly directed or required to be done by the Financial Corporation in general meeting.
1[10. Board of directors.--The Board of directors shall consist of the following, namely:--
[Board of directors.] Omitted by the State Financial Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2000 (39 of 2000), s. 8 (w.e.f. 5-9-2000).
1[11. Term of office and retirement of directors.--(1) A nominated director shall hold office during the pleasure of the authority nominating him.
1[12. Disqualifications for being a director.--No person shall be a director, if he--
1[(1)] The State Government may remove from office any director who--
1[(1) Any director elected under clause (d) of section 10 may, by giving notice in writing to the Chairman of the Board, resign from his office and on such resignation being accepted, shall be deemed to have vacated his office.]
1[15. Chairman of Board.--(1) The Small Industries Bank shall, in consultation with the State Government nominate a director as a Chairman of the Board for such period not exceeding three years and on such terms and conditions as the Small Industries Bank may specify:
1[16. Remuneration of directors.--The directors other than the managing director and not being servants of the Government shall be paid such fees as may be prescribed for attending meetings of the Board and, if they are members of the Executive Committee, or any other committee appointed by the Financial Corporation, for attending meetings of such committee.]
1[(1) The managing director shall--
1[18. Executive Committee.--(1) The Board shall constitute an Executive Committee consisting of the chairman and managing director, the whole-time directors and such other directors as it may deem fit:
(1) The Board and the Executive Committee shall meet at such times and places and shall observe such rules of procedure in regard to transaction of business at its meetings as may be provided by regulations made under this Act.
(1) Subject to such general or special directions as the Board may from time to time give, the Executive Committee may deal with any matter within the competence of the Board.
The Financial Corporation may appoint 1[one or more committee or committees consisting wholly of directors or wholly of other persons or partly of directors and partly of other persons] for the purpose of assisting the Financial Corporation in the efficient discharge of its functions and, in particular, for the purpose of securing that those functions are exercised with due regard to the circumstances and conditions prevailing in, and the requirements of, particular areas or industries.
1[22. Offices and agencies.--The Financial Corporation shall establish its head office and other offices and agencies at such places as the State Government may, from time to time specify and save as aforesaid, the Financial Corporation may establish additional offices or agencies in such other places within the State as it may consider necessary.]
The Financial Corporation may appoint such officers, advisers and employees as it considers necessary for the efficient performance of its functions, and determine, by regulations, their conditions of appointment and service and the remuneration payable to them.
The Board in discharging its functions under this Act shall act on business principles due regard being had by it to the interests of industry, commerce and the general public.
1[25. Business which Financial Corporation may transact.--2[(1) The Financial Corporation may, subject to the provisions of this Act, carry on and transact any of the following kinds of business, namely:--
1[25A. Power to acquire rights.--The Financial Corporation shall have the right to acquire, by transfer or assignment, the rights and interests of any such financial institution as may be notified by the Central Government (including any other rights incidental thereto) in relation to any loan or advance granted or any amount recoverable by such institution, either in whole or in part, by the execution or issue of any instrument or by the transfer of any instrument by endorsement or in any other manner:
1[25B. Gifts, grants, etc.--The Financial Corporation may receive gifts, grants, donations or benefactions from Government or any other source.]
1[26. Limit of accommodation.--On and from the commencement of the State Financial Corporations (Amendment) Act, 2000 (39 of 2000), the Financial Corporation shall not enter into any arrangements under clause (a), (d) or (h) of sub-section (1) of section 25 with any industrial concern so that the total amount outstanding against that concern in respect of all such arrangements together with the amount of the face value of the shares and stocks of that concern whether subscribed or agreed to be subscribed and the outstanding liabilities on account of underwriting agreements and the deferred payments guarantees is more than--
(1) In entering into any arrangement under section 25 with an industrial concern, the Financial Corporation may impose such conditions as it may think necessary or expedient for protecting the interests of the Financial Corporation and securing that the accommodation granted by it is put to the best use by the industrial concern.
1[(1)] The Financial Corporation shall not--
(1) Where any industrial concern, which is under a liability to the Financial Corporation under an agreement, makes any default in repayment of any loan or advance or any instalment thereof 1[or in meeting its obligations in relation to any guarantee given by the Corporation] or otherwise fails to comply with the terms of its agreement with the Financial Corporation, the Financial Corporation shall have the 2[right to take over the management or possession or both of the industrial concerns], as well as the 3[right to transfer by way of lease or sale] and realise the property pledged, mortgaged, hypothecated or assigned to the Financial Corporation.
Notwithstanding anything in any agreement to the contrary, the Financial Corporation may, by notice in writing, require any industrial concern to which it has granted any loan or advance to discharge forthwith in full its liabilities to the Financial Corporation,--
(1) Where an industrial concern, in breach of any agreement, makes any default in repayment of any loan or advance or any instalment thereof 1[or in meeting its obligations in relation to any guarantee given by the Corporation] or otherwise fails to comply with the terms of its agreement with the Financial Corporation or where the Financial Corporation requires an industrial concern to make immediate repayment of any loan or advance under section 30 and the industrial concern fails to make such repayment, 2[then, without prejudice to the provisions of section 29 of this Act and of section 69 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (4 of 1882)] any officer of the Financial Corporation, generally or specially authorised by the Board in this behalf, may apply to the district judge within the limits of whose jurisdiction the industrial concern carries on the whole or a substantial part of its business for one or more of the following reliefs, namely:--
(1) When the application is for the reliefs mentioned in clauses (a) and (c) of sub-section (1) of section 31, the district judge shall pass an ad interim order attaching the security, or so much of the property of the industrial concern as would on being sold realise in his estimate an amount equivalent in value to the outstanding liability of the industrial concern to the Financial Corporation, together with the costs of the proceedings taken under section 31, with or without an ad interim injunction restraining the industrial concern from transferring or removing its machinery, plant or equipment.
1[32A. Power of Financial Corporation to appoint directors or administrators of an industrial concern when management is taken over.--(1) When the management of an industrial concern is taken over by the Financial Corporation, the Financial Corporation may, by order notified in the Official Gazette, appoint as many persons as it thinks fit,--
1[32B. Effect of notified order under section 32A.-- On the issue of a notified order under section 32AOn the issue of a notified order under section 32A.--
1[32C. Powers and duties of directors and administrators.-- (1) Subject to the control of the Financial Corporation, the directors, or as the case may be, the administrators appointed under section 32A, shall take such steps as may be necessary for the purpose of efficiently managing the business of the industrial concern and shall exercise such powers and have such duties as may be prescribed.
1[32D. No right to compensation for termination of contract of managing agent, managing director, etc.-- (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any contract or in any law for the time being in force, no managing agent, managing director or any other director or a manager or any person in charge of management of an industrial concern shall be entitled to any compensation for the loss of office or for the premature termination under this Act of any contract of management entered into by him with such concern.
1[32E. Application of Act 1 of 1956.-- (1) Where the management of an industrial concern, being a company as defined in the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), is taken over by the Financial Corporation, then, notwithstanding anything contained in the said Act or in the memorandum or articles of association of such concern,--
1[32F. Restriction on filing of suite for dissolution, etc., of an industrial concern not being a company when its management is taken over.-- (1) Where the management of an industrial concern not being a company as defined in the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) is taken over by the Financial Corporation, no suit or proceedings for dissolution or for partition shall, insofar as it relates to that industrial concern, lie in any court or before any tribunal or other authority except with the consent of the Financial Corporation.
1[32G. Recovery of amounts due to the Financial Corporation as an arrear of land revenue.--Where any amount is due to the Financial Corporation in respect of any accommodation granted by it to any industrial concern, the Financial Corporation or any person authorised by it in writing in this behalf, may, without prejudice to any other mode of recovery, make an application to the State Government for the recovery of the amount due to it, and if the State Government or such authority, as that Government may specify in this behalf, is satisfied, after following such procedure as may be prescribed, that any amount is so due, it may issue a certificate for that amount to the Collector, and the Collector shall proceed to recover that amount in the same manner as an arrear of land revenue.]
(1) Every Financial Corporation shall have its own fund, and all receipts of the Financial Corporation shall be carried thereto and all payments by the Corporation shall be made therefrom.
1[34. Investment of funds.--The Financial Corporation may invest its funds in accordance with applicable guidelines and prudential norms as may be prescribed and in such securities as the Board may decide from time to time.]
(1) The Financial Corporation shall establish a reserve fund.
1[35A. Special reserve fund.--(1) the Financial Corporation may establish a special reserve fund, to which shall be transferred such portion of the dividends accruing to the State Government Development Bank and the Small Industries Bank on the shares of the Financial Corporation as may be fixed by agreement between the State Government, Development Bank and the Small Industries Bank:
(1) A general meeting (hereinafter referred to as the annual general meeting) shall be held annually at a place in the State where there is an office of the Financial Corporation within 1[four months] from the date on which the annual accounts of the Financial Corporation are closed, and a general meeting may be convened by the Board at any other time.
1[(1) The accounts of the Financial Corporation shall be audited by auditors duly qualified to act as the auditors under sub-section (1) of section 226 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), who shall be appointed by the Financial Corporation in general meeting of shareholders out of the panel of auditors approved by the Reserve Bank of India for such terms and on such remuneration as the Reserve Bank may fix.]
(1) The 1[Small Industries Bank] at any time may, with the approval of the Central Government, and on being directed so to do by that Government shall cause an inspection to be made by one or more of its officers of the working of any Financial Corporation and its books and accounts; and the 1[Small Industries Bank] shall send the report of such inspection to the Central Government and to the State Government and shall supply a copy thereof to the Financial Corporation.
1[(1) The Financial Corporation shall furnish to the State Government, the 2[Small Industries Bank] and the Reserve Bank such statements and returns in such form as the State Government, the 2[Small Industries Bank] or the Reserve Bank may require from time to time.]
(1) In the discharge of its functions, the Board shall be guided by such instructions on questions of policy as may be given to it by the State Government 1[in consultation with 2[and after obtaining the advice of,] the 3[Small Industries Bank]].
1[(1) The Financial Corporation shall not, except as otherwise required by this Act or any other law for the time being in force, divulge any information relating to, or to the affairs of, its constituents except in circumstances in which it is, in accordance with the law or practice and usage, customary among bankers, necessary or appropriate for the Financial Corporation to divulge such information.
(1) Every director shall be indemnified by the Financial Corporation against all losses and expenses incurred by him in the discharge of his duties except such as are caused by his own wilful act or default.
1[41A. Protection of action taken by persons appointed under section 27 or section 32A.-- No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any person appointed as director, administrator, managing agent or manager by the Financial Corporation in pursuance of Section 27 or section 32A for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done by him as such director, administrator, managing agent or manager.]
1[41B. Nomination in respect of deposits, bonds, etc.--(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, where a nomination in respect of any deposits, bonds or other securities is made in the prescribed manner, the amount due on such deposits, bonds or securities shall, on the death of the depositor or holder thereof, vest in, and be payable to, the nominee subject to any right, title or interest of any other person to such deposits, bonds or securities.
(1) Whoever, in any bill of lading, warehouse receipt or other document given to the Financial Corporation, whereby security is given or is purported to be given to the Financial Corporation for any accommodation granted by it under this Act, wilfully makes any false statement or knowingly permits any false statement to be made shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both.
For the purposes of the 1[Income-tax Act, 1961(43 of 1961)], the Financial Corporation shall be deemed to be a company within the meaning of that Act and shall be liable to income-tax and super-tax accordingly on its income, profits and gains:
1[43A. Delegation of powers.--The Board may, by general or special order, delegate to the managing director or to any other officer of the Financial Corporation 2[or to any committee appointed under section 21] subject to such conditions and limitations, if any, as may be specified in the order such of its powers and duties under this Act as it may deem necessary.]
1[43B. Reports to the Board.--(1) The minutes of every meeting of the committee appointed under Section 21 shall, after confirmation thereof at the next meeting of the committee, be laid before the Board at the next following meeting of the Board.
The Financial Corporation shall be deemed to be a bank for the purposes of the Bankers Books Evidence Act, 1891 (18 of 1891).
No provision of law relating to the winding up of companies or corporations shall apply to the Financial Corporation, and the Financial Corporation shall not be placed in liquidation, save by order of the State Government and in such manner as it may direct.
(1) The Central Government may by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that all or any of the provisions of this Act shall, subject to such exceptions and restrictions as may be specified, apply to 1[any institution established by a State Government] which has for its object the financing of industrial concerns, and on the issue of such notification, the institution shall be deemed to be a Financial Corporation established by the State Government for the State within the meaning of this Act, and the provisions of this Act shall become applicable thereto according to the tenor of the notification:
1[46A. Extension of jurisdiction of the Financial Corporation to other States by agreement.-- (1) Where a Financial Corporation has been established for any State 2 [and one or more other States not served in whole or in part by a Financial Corporation] desires that the Financial Corporation 3[should serve the needs of those States or of any area therein], and the States, after consultation with the 4[Small Industries Bank], enter into an agreement which is published in the Official Gazettes of each of those States, then the Financial Corporation shall, on the issue of a notification in the Official Gazette by the Central Government, serve the needs of those States 5[or, as the case may be, of the area therein] in terms of the agreement 5[and any Financial Corporation or any State may enter into separate or successive agreements as aforesaid with one another or with other Financial Corporations of States and in relation to different areas of the States].
1[46B. Effect of Act on other laws.--The provision of this Act and of any rule or orders made thereunder shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being in force or in the memorandum or articles of association of an industrial concern or in any other instrument having effect by virtue of any law other than this Act, but save as aforesaid, the provisions of this Act shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other law for the time being applicable to an industrial concern.]
[Power of Board to make regulations.] Omitted by the State Financial Corporations (Amendment) Act, 2000 (39 of 2000), s. 34 (w.e.f. 5-9-2000).
(1) The Board may, after consultation with the 1[Small Industries Bank] and with the previous sanction of the State Government, make regulations not inconsistent with this Act and the rules made thereunder to provide for all matters for which provision is necessary or expedient for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Act.
1[48A. Laying of rules and regulations before State Legislature. ----2 *** and every regulation made under section 48 shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before the State Legislature.]
1[48B. Power to make rules.--(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the provisions of this Act.
If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, as amended by the Public Financial Institutions Laws (Amendment) Act, 1975 (52 of 1975), the Central Government may, by order, do anything, not inconsistent with such provisions, for the purpose of removing the difficulty: