8Functions of the Board.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Board to promote the development of the¹* * * silk industry by such measures as it thinks fit.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the measures referred to therein may provide for--
(a)undertaking, assisting or encouraging scientific, technological and economic research;
(b)devising means for improved methods of mulberry cultivation rearing, developing and distributing healthy silkworm seeds,²[reeling or, as the case may be, spinning of silkworm cocoons and silk waste], improving the quality and production of raw silk, if necessary, by making it compulsory for all raw silk to be marketed only after the same has been tested and graded in properly equipped raw silk conditioning houses;
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(d) improving the marketing of raw silk;
(e) the collection of statistics from such persons as may be prescribed;
⁴[(f) carrying out any other duties which may be vested in the Board under rules made under this Act.]
(3) It shall also be the duty of the Board--
⁵[(a) to advise the Central Government on all matters relating to production, supply, distribution, trade and commerce in silk-worm seed, the development of the silk industry and its products including export and import;]
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(c) to prepare and furnish such ⁷*** reports relating to the ⁸*** silk industry as may be required by the Central Government from time to time.