17Appointment of Commissioners of Payments

(1) For the purpose of disbursing the amounts payable to the owner of each sick textile undertaking, the Central Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette,--

(a) appoint such number of persons as it may think fit to be Commissioners of Payments; and

(b) define the local limits within which the Commissioners of Payments shall exercise the powers conferred, and perform the duties imposed, on them by or under this Act.

(2) The Central Government may appoint such other persons as it may think fit to assist the Commissioner and thereupon the Commissioner may authorise one or more of such persons also to exercise all or any of the powers exercisable by him under this Act, and different persons may be authorised to exercise different powers.

(3) Any person authorised by the Commissioner to exercise any powers may exercise those powers in the same manner and with the same effect as if they have been conferred on that person directly by this Act and not by way of authorisation.

(4) The salaries and allowances of the Commissioner and other persons appointed under this section shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of India.

(5) References in this Act to the Commissioner shall, where more than one Commissioner has been appointed, be construed as references to the Commissioner in relation to the sick textile undertaking within the local limits of the jurisdiction specified under clause (b) of sub-section (1).