16Powers and functions of National Dairy Development Board

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act,--

(a) it shall be the duty and function of the National Dairy Development Board to promote plan and organise programmes for the purposes of development of dairy and other agriculture based and allied industries and biologicals on an intensive and nation-wide basis and to render assistance in the implementation of such programmes;

(b) it shall be the responsibility of the National Dairy Development Board to adopt the co-operative strategy in a more effective manner on an intensive and nation-wide basis and to take such steps as may be necessary for the purposes aforesaid; and

(c) the National Dairy Development Board may take such measures for carrying out the said purposes, and for the exercise of its powers and the performance of its functions and responsibilities under this Act, as it may consider necessary.

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, the measures referred to therein may provide for--

(a) facilitating research and promotional activities in the fields of dairying, immunology, animal husbandry, agriculture and horticulture;

(b) imparting technological know-how to such organisations in the co-operative or public sector as are engaged in the production, procurement, preservation or marketing of milk and milk products;

(c) facilitating the training of personnel for absorbing and utilising the technical know-how that may be imparted;

(d) designing, planning, promoting developing, constructing, sponsoring and setting up of dairy industries and undertaking any other related promotional activity including the financing of the same;

(e) providing consultancy and managerial services and the execution of any project on a turn-key basis or otherwise, furnishing integral services such as storage, transportation, processing, distribution of milk and milk products and to serve as a lead institution with reference to milk and milk products;

(f) adopting such measures as may be practicable--

(i) for the conservation of milk and milk products by avoidance of waste at all stages or otherwise;

(ii) to assist primary producers of milk and milk products and persons in the co-operative and public sector to get incentive prices; and

(iii) to build up a national milk grid;

(g) recommending to Government, as and when necessary, the maximum and minimum prices to be fixed for the purchase or sale of milk and, if so required, assist in the enforcement of it;

(h) functioning as a channelising agency in respect of import and export of milk and milk products and of milch animals or bulls;

(i) providing financial, technical, administrative, managerial or other assistance or taking such measures as may be necessary--

(A) for the development (if required by the import of quality semen) and preservation of high yielding cattle;

(B) for adopting improved methods of cattle breeding;

(C) for increasing production and supply of better and improved animal feed including fodder; and

(D) generally for the enhancement of the cattle wealth of the country;

(j) processing, promoting or financing technological, industrial or economic research in milk and milk products in such manner as the Board may deem fit by the utilisation of available institutions or otherwise;

(k) financing, in such manner as the Board may deem appropriate (including contribution to capital), of co-operative federations, co-operative unions or co-operative enterprises or of any scheme in the co-operative or public sector intended to stimulate the production, preservation, distribution and consumption of milk and milk products nation-wide;

(l) regulating the dairy and allied industries and functioning as regulatory authority therefor, as may be required by the Central Government;

(m) adopting measures for the development and co-ordination of organisations in the production of milk and milk products so as to enable the primary producers thereof to become participants in, and beneficiaries of, the development and growth of dairy and allied industries;

(n) collecting and compiling relevant data and statistics necessary for the efficient management of the national milk grid and national milch herd and on any other matter relating to dairying and allied industries;

(o) promoting publicity on the research and development of dairy and allied industries;

(p) promoting and developing production, grading and marketing of milk and milk products in various parts of the country;

(q) co-operating with international organisations and foreign experts and for functioning as the agent of the Central Government for the reception, utilisation and disbursement of any gift of milk and milk products and any other foodstuffs;

(r) building up of a reserve of buffer stock of basic commodities;

(s) promoting the export of milk and milk products where, in the opinion of the Board, it is so required to avoid waste or to otherwise serve the public interest and generally for exporting any article produced, processed or promoted by it;

(t) acquiring, holding and disposing of any property for the purposes of its business;

(u) transferring the whole or any part of its managerial, technical or other functions in relation to any organisations receiving assistance from the National Dairy Development Board to the recipient organisation;

(v) advancing or lending money upon security of movable or immovable property or otherwise;

(w) borrowing money in such manner and upon such security as the Board may deem fit;

(x) carrying on, either by itself or through any other organisations, any other business or class of business, in a case where such business or class of business was being carried on by the society or the dissolved company immediately before the appointed day;

(y) promoting and encouraging co-operative effort among those engaged in the production of milk and milk products and other foodstuffs;

(z) levying fees or other charges for any assistance given or services rendered by the National Dairy Development Board;

(za) carrying on any other business or doing any other act or thing as may be necessary, incidental or conducive to further the objectives of the National Dairy Development Board under this Act.

(3) If, immediately before the appointed day, either the society or the dissolved company was engaged in the production, research and development, processing, marketing, import, export or other activities, or had been rendering any service or assistance, in relation to any article or product, other than milk and milk products or the dairy industry, then, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other law, the National Dairy Development Board may engage in the production, research and development, processing, marketing, import, export or other activities, or render such other services or assistance in relation to the said article or product as may be required, and the provisions of sub-sections (1) and (2) shall, so far as may be, apply in relation to that article or product, as if any reference therein to milk and milk products or to dairy and allied industries had been a reference to that article or product or service or activity.

(4) Where the Central Government or the Government of any State considers that, having regard to the special expertise of the National Dairy Development Board and the needs of the public, it is necessary or advisable to entrust the National Dairy Development Board with any activity, other than that to which the foregoing sub-sections apply, it may, entrust such activity to the National Dairy Development Board, whereupon it shall be competent for the National Dairy Development Board to carry on such activity.

(5) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing powers, it shall be competent for the National Dairy Development Board to participate, with the prior approval of the Central Government, in any other organisation, financially, managerially or in any other manner.