Meghalaya act 025 of 1980 : The Meghalaya Natural Calamities Relief Fund Act,1980 (Act No.25 of 1980)

Section 1.Short title, extent and commencement

(1) This Act may be called the Meghalaya Natural Calamities Relief Fund Act, 1980.

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Meghalaya.

(3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification, appoint.

Section 2.Definition

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “Fund” means the Meghalaya Natural Calamities Relief Fund established under Section 3.

Section 3.Establishment of the Meghalaya Natural Calamities Relief Fund.

On the commencement of this Act, the State Government shall establish in an for the State of Meghalaya a Fund to be called the Meghalaya Natural Calamities Relief Fund which shall consist of :-

(i) contribution by the State Government under Section 4.

(ii) any contribution by the Government of India;

(iii) such other sums as the State Government may transfer from the unspent balance of the budget provisions of any year under Section 4 and

(iv) Donation, if any, by the public, any institution, autonomous body, association or authority.

Section 4.Initial contribution to the Meghalaya Natural Calamities Relief Fund.

As soon as may be after the commencement of this Act, the State Government shall make an initial contribution, to the Fund of a sum of Rupees ten lakhs from the head “289-Relief on account of Natural Calamities” from the budget for the year 1981-82 or the unspent balance thereof on the 31st March, 1981 and thereafter make an annual contribution of the sum equal to the margin money recommended by the Finance Commission.

Section 5.Purpose for which the Fund may be utilised

Withdrawal from the Fund shall not be made except to cover the expenditure on relief of distress caused by flood, cyclone, hailstorm, drought, earthquake, or the calamities as may be notified by the State Government for the purpose.

Section 6.Investment and reinvestment of the amount not required.

The State Government shall, from time to time invest or reinvest in easily encashable securities all amounts which may not be immediately required for any of the purposes mentioned in section 5 and the interest accrued thereon to the credit of the Fund.

Section 7.Accounts of the Fund and making up of the deficiency in the Fund

(1) The accounts of the Fund shall be made up at the end of each financial year in a proforma account as may be prescribed by rules made under this Act.

(2) If the accounts so made up in respect of any year shows that the balance at the credit of the Fund falls short of Rupees fifteen lakhs, the deficiency shall be made up by contribution from the revenues of the State Government.

Section 8.Power to make rules

The State Government may make rules for carrying out the purposes of this act.

Section 9.The Assam Famine Relief and Insurance Fund Act 1948 is hereby repealed.

The Assam Famine Relief and Insurance Fund Act 1948 is hereby repealed.