80Construction of Beas Project

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other law, the construction (including the completion of any work already commenced) of the Beas Project shall, on and from the appointed day, be undertaken by the Central Government on behalf of the successor States and the State of Rajasthan:

Provided that the Governments of the successor States and the State of Rajasthan shall at all times provide the necessary funds to the Central Government for the expenditure on the project [including the expenses of the Board referred to in sub-section (2)] and such amounts shall be apportioned among the successor States and the State of Rajasthan in such proportion as may be fixed by the Central Government

after consultation with the Governments of the said States.

(2) For the discharge of its functions under sub-section (1), the Central Government may—

(a) by notification in the Official Gazette and in consultation with the Governments of the successor States and the State of Rajasthan, constitute a Board to be called the Beas Construction Board with such members as it may deem fit and assign to the Board such functions as it may consider necessary; and

(b) issue such directions to the State Governments of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan and the Administrator of the Union territory of Himachal Pradesh or any other authority, and the State Governments, Administrator or other authority shall comply with such directions.

(3) The notification constituting a Board under clause (a) of sub-section (2) may empower the Board to appoint such staff as may be necessary for the efficient discharge of its functions:

Provided that every person who immediately before the constitution of the Board was engaged in the construction or any work relating to the Beas Project shall continue to be so employed by the Board in connection with the said works on the same terms and conditions of service as were applicable to him before such constitution until the Central Government by order directs otherwise:

Provided further that the Board may at any time in consultation with the State Government or the Electricity Board concerned and with the previous approval of the Central Government return any such person for service under that Government or Board.

(4) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as enabling the Central Government to reduce or enlarge the scope of the Beas Project as agreed to between the Governments of the State of Rajasthan and the existing State of Punjab except after consultation with the Governments of the States of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.

(5) Any component of the Beas Project in relation to which the construction has been completed after the appointed day may be transferred by the Central Government to the Board constituted under section 79 whereupon the provisions of that section shall apply as if it were a work included in sub-section (1) of that section.

(6) The Bhakra Management Board constituted under section 79 shall be re-named as the Bhakra Beas Management Board when any of the components of the Beas Project has been transferred under sub-section (5), and the Beas Construction Board shall cease to exist when all the components of the Beas Project have been so transferred.