All moneys received by or on behalf of a Board under the provisions of this Act, and all moneys received by it as the Conservator of the port and of the port approaches or as the body appointed under sub-section (1) of section 36 of the Indian Ports Act1[x x x] shall be credited to a fund called the general account of the port.
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1 . Words "excluding all fees and all fines and penalties creditable to the pilotage account of the port under sub-section(5a) of that section" omitted by Indian Ports (Amendment) Act (23 of 1992), Section 8(12-8-92).
Section 88 - Application of moneys in general account
(1) The money credited to the general account under sections 87, shall, subject to the provisions of section 89 of this Act and of section 36 of the Indian Ports Act, be applied by the Board in payment of the following charges, namely:--
(a) the interest and instalments of principal due in respect of any loan that may have been raised or obtained by the Board or for the repayment of which the Board may be liable, and payments to the sinking fund established for such loan;
(b) the salaries, fees, allowances, pensions, gratuities, compassionate allowances or other moneys due to--
(i) the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and other Trustees;
(ii) the employees of the Board; and
(iii) the surviving relatives, if any, of such employees;
(c) the contributions, if any, payable to the Central Government or any State Government on account of the pension and leave allowance of any officer lent to the Board by such Government;
(d) the cost and expenses if any, incurred by the Board in the conduct and administration of any provident or welfare fund or loan or special fund established by the Board;
(e) the contribution, if any, duly authorised to be made by regulations made under this Act to any such fund as is referred to in clause (d);
(f) any charges for which the Board may be liable under section 108 or section 109;
1[(g) such sums as may, from time to time, be agreed upon by the Board and a State Government or the Central Government or any other authority, as a reasonable contribution payable by the Board towards the expenses in connection with the watch and ward functions of the police force or the Central Industrial Security Force or any other force which the State Government or the Central Government or the other authority, as the case may be, may establish and maintain for the protection of the port and the docks, warehouses and other property of the Board;]
(h) the cost of repairs and maintenance of the property belonging to or vested in the Board and all charges upon the same and all working expenses;
(i) the cost of the execution and provision of any new work or appliance specified in section 35 which the Board may determine to charge-to revenue;
(j) any expenditure incurred under section 36;
(k) any other expenditure which may be incurred by the Board generally for the purposes of this Act;
(l) any other charges which may on the application of the Board2[or otherwise] be specially sanctioned by the Central Government or for which the Board may be legally liable.
(2)3[Subject to such general or special direction as the Central Government may, for the purpose of maintenance or development of major ports in the country or generally for the development of shipping and navigation, give in this behalf, all moneys standing at the credit of the Board] which cannot immediately be applied in the manner or for the purposes specified in sub-section (1) shall--
(a) be deposited in the State Bank of India or in such4[corresponding bank or banks], and subject to such conditions as may, from time to time, be specified by the Central Government; or
(b) be invested in public securities or in such other securities as the Central Government may approve in this behalf; and the said securities shall be held in trust by the Board for the purposes of this Act, 6[or]
5[(c) be given as a loan to the Board of another port for the development of that port.
6[(d) be invested, in any manner, in an arrangement referred to in sub-section (3A) of section 42;
(e) be invested, in any manner, in the development or management of any port including a port other than a major port on such terms and conditions as may be approved by the Central Government.]
Explanation.-- For the purposes of this sub-section, "corresponding new hank" means a corresponding new bunk as defined in the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970 or the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980.]
7[(3) Every direction issued by the Central Government under sub-section (2) shall be complied with by the Board and shall not be called in question in any Court on any ground.
(4) No suit or other legal proceeding shall He against the Central Government, the Board or any officer or other employee of the Board authorised by it in this behalf for any loss or damage caused or likely to be caused by anything winch is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of any direction issued under sub-section (2).]
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1 . Substituted by the Major Port Trusts (Amendment) Act (29 of 1974), section 30 (1-2-1975).
2 . Inserted by the Major Port Trusts (Amendment) Act (29 of 1974), section 30 (1-2-1975)..
3 . Substituted for the words "All moneys standing at the credit of the Board" by Major Port Trusts (Amendment) Act (2 of 1988), (w.e.f. 28-1-88).
4 . Substituted for the words "scheduled bank or banks" by Major Port Trusts (Amendment) Act (2 of 1988), (w.e.f. 28-1-88).
5 . Inserted by Major Port Trusts (Amendment) Act (2 of 1988), (w.r.e.f. 28-1-88).
6. Inserted by The Major Port Trusts (Amendment) Act, 2000 (22 of 2000) w.e.f. 09.06.2000.
7 . Inserted by Major Port Trusts (Amendment) Act (2 of 1988), (w.r.e.f. 28-1-88).
Section 89 - Power to transfer moneys from general account to pilotage account and vice versa
[Omitted by Indian Ports (Amendment) Act (33 of 1992), section 8 (12-8-92).]
Section 90 - Establishment of reserve funds
(1) A Board may, from time to time, set apart such sums out of its surplus income as it thinks fit, as to reserve fund or funds for the purpose of expanding existing facilities or creating new facilities at the port or for the purpose of providing against any temporary decrease of revenue or increase of expenditure from transient causes or for purposes of replacement or for meeting expenditure arising from loss or damage from fire, cyclones, shipwreck or other accident or for any other emergency arising in the ordinary conduct of its work under this Act :
Provided that the sums set apart annually in respect of, and the aggregate at any time of, any such reserve fund or funds shall not exceed such amounts as may, from time to time, be fixed in that behalf by the Central Government.
(2) Any such reserve fund or funds may be invested in public securities or in such other securities as the Central Government may approve in this behalf.
Section 91 - Power to reserve Port Trust securities for Board's own investments
(1) For the purposes of any investment which a Board is authorised to make by this Act, it shall be lawful for every Board to reserve and set apart any securities to be issued by it on account of any loan to which the consent of the Central Government has been given, provided that the intention to so reserve and set apart such securities has been notified as a condition to the issue of the loan.
(2) The issue by any Board of any such securities direct to and in the name of the Board shall not operate to extinguish or cancel such securities, but every security so issued shall be valid in all respects, as if issued to, and in the name of, any other person.
(3) The purchase by a Board, or the transfer, assignment or indorsement to a Board or to the Trustees of the sinking fund set up by a Board, of any security issued by the Board, shall not operate to extinguish or cancel any such security but the same shall be valid and negotiable in the same manner and to the same extent as if held by, or transferred or assigned or indorsed to, any other person.
Section 92 - Prior sanction of Central Government to charge expenditure to capital
(1) No expenditure shall be charged by a Board to capital without the previous sanction of the Central Government:
Provided that a Board may, without such sanction, charge to capital expenditure not exceeding such limit as may be specified, and subject to such conditions as may be imposed, by the Central Government.
(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be deemed to require the further sanction of the Central Government in any case where the actual expenditure incurred as a charge to capital exceeds the expenditure sanctioned in this behalf by the Central Government unless the excess is more than ten per cent, of the expenditure so sanctioned.
Section 93 - Works requiring sanction of Board or Central Government
(1) No new work or appliance, the estimated cost of which exceeds such amount as may be fixed by the Central Government in this behalf, shall be commenced or provided by a Board, nor shall any contract be entered into by a Board, in respect of any such new work or appliance until a plan of, and estimate for, such work or appliance has been submitted to, and approved by, the Board; and, in case the estimated cost of any such new work or appliance exceeds such amounts as may, from time to time, be fixed by the Central Government in this behalf, the sanction, of the Central Government to the plan and estimate shall be obtained before such work is commenced or appliance provided.
(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be deemed to require the further sanction of the Central Government in any case where the actual expenditure incurred does not exceed by more than ten per cent., the estimated cost so sanctioned.
Section 94 - Powers of Chairman as to execution of works
Notwithstanding anything contained in section 93, the Chairman may direct the execution of any work the cost of which does not exceed such maximum limits as may be fixed by the Central Government in this behalf, and may enter into contracts for the execution of such works but in every such case the Chairman shall, as soon as possible, make a report to the Board of any such directions given or contracts entered into by him.
Section 95 - Power of Board to compound or compromise claims
Every Board may compound or compromise any claim or demand or any action or suit instituted by or against it for such sum of money or other compensation as it deems sufficient:
Provided that no settlement shall be made under this section without the previous sanction of the Central Government if such settlement involves the payment by the Board of a sum exceeding such amount as may be specified by the Central Government in this behalf.
Section 96 - Writing off of losses
(1) Subject to such conditions as may be specified by the Central Government, where a Board is of opinion that any amount due to or any loss, whether of money or of property, incurred by, the Board is irrecoverable, the Board may, with the previous approval of the Central Government, sanction the writing, off finally of the said amount or loss :
1[Provided that no such approval of the Central Government shall be necessary where such irrecoverable amount or loss does not exceed, in any individual case and in the aggregate in any year, such amounts as the Central Government may, from time to time, by order, fix and different amounts may be fixed with respect to different Boards.]
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section(1), where the Chairman is of opinion that any amount due to, or any loss, whether of money or of property, incurred by the Board is irrecoverable, the Chairman may sanction the writing off finally of such amount or loss provided that2[such amount or loss does not exceed, in any individual case and in the aggregate in any year, such amounts as the Central Government may, from time to time, by order, fix and different amounts may be fixed with respect to different Boards.]
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1 . Substituted by the Major Port Trusts (Amdt.) Act (17 of 1982), S. 15 (31-5-1982).
2 . Substituted for the words "such amount or loss does not exceed, in any individual case, one thousand rupees 'or in the aggregate in any one year, twenty thousand rupees; and in every such case the Chairman shall make a report to the Board giving reasons for such sanction," by the Major Port Trusts (Amendment) Act (17 of 1982), Section 15 (31-5-1982).
Section 97 - Powers, etc. of Board as Conservator or Body appointed under section 36 of Indian Ports Act
All the powers, authorities and restrictions contained in this Act in respect of the works by this Act authorised, shall apply to the works which may be executed by the Board1as the Conservator of the port or as the body appointed under sub-section (1) of section 36 of the Indian Ports Act,2[x x x] and also to the sanction of such works, the estimates therefor, and the expenditure there under.
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1 . Words "not being works the cost of which is chargeable to the pilotage account of the port under sub-section (5b) of that section" omitted by Indian Ports (Amdt.) Act (23 of 1992), Section 8(12-8-92).
2 . Boards of Trustees for the Ports of Visakhapatnam, Kandia, Marmagoa, Cochin and Paradip appointed as the Conservators of the said ports
Section 98 - Budget estimates
(1) A Board shall, on or before the thirty-first day of January in each year, hold a special meeting at which the Chairman of the Board shall submit an estimate of the income and expenditure of the Board for the next financial year, in such form as the Central Government may specify.
(2) A copy of such estimate shall be sent by post or otherwise to each Trustee so as to reach him not less than ten clear days prior to the date appointed for the special meeting referred to in sub-section (1).
(3) The Board shall consider the estimate at such meeting and may provisionally approve of it with or without modifications.
(4) The Board shall, on or before the tenth day of February, cause a copy of such estimate as provisionally approved by it, to be sent to the Central Government.
(5) The Central Government may sanction the estimate or may return it with remarks and may call for such additional information as it may deem necessary.
(6) When an estimate is returned under sub-section (5), the Board shall proceed to reconsider the estimate with reference to such remarks and shall furnish such additional information as the Central Government may call for and shall, if necessary, modify or alter the estimate and resubmit it to the Central Government.
(7) The Central Government shall sanction the estimate with or without modifications.
(8) Where any such estimate is not sanctioned by the Central Government before the commencement of the financial year to which it relates, the Central Government may authorise the Board to incur such expenditure as may be necessary in the opinion of the Central. Government until such time as the approval of the estimate by the Central Government is communicated to the Board.
Section 99 - Preparation of supplemental estimate
A Board may in the course of any year for which an estimate has beensanctioned by the Central Government cause one or more supplemental estimatesfor the residence of such year to be prepared, and the provisions of section 98shall, so far as may be, apply to such estimate as if it were an original annualestimate.
Section 100 - Re-appropriation of amounts in estimate
Subject to any directions which the Central Government may give in this behalf, any sum of money or part thereof of which the expenditure has been authorised in an estimate for the time being in force sanctioned by the Central Government and which has not been so spent, may at any time be re-appropriated by the Board to meet any excess in any other expenditure authorised in the said estimate :
Provided that no such re-appropriation shall be made from one major head of expenditure to another such head without the previous sanction of the Central Government.
Section 101 - Adherence to estimate except in emergency
(1) Subject to the provisions of section 100, no sum exceeding such amount as the Central Government may fix in this behalf shall, save in cases of pressing emergency, be expended by, or on behalf of, any Board unless such sum is included in some estimate of the Board at the time in force which has been finally sanctioned by the Central Government.
(2) If any sum exceeding such limit as may have been fixed in this behalf under sub-section (1) is so expended by any Board on a pressing emergency, the circumstances shall be forthwith reported by the Chairman to the Central Government, together with an explanation of the way in which it is proposed by the Board to cover such extra expenditure.
Section 102 - Accounts and audit
(1) A Board shall maintain proper accounts and other relevant records and prepare the annual statement of accounts, including the balance-sheet in such form as may be specified by the Central Government in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.
1[(2) The accounts of the Board shall be audited--
(i) once in every year; and
(ii) if so required by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, concurrently with the compilation of such accounts,
by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or such other persons as may be appointed by him in this behalf and any amount payable to him by the Board in respect of such audit shall be debatable to the general account of the Board.]
(3) The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or any person appointed by him in connection with the audit of the accounts of a Board shall have the same rights, privileges and authority in connection with such audit as the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India has in connection with the audit of Government accounts and, in particular, shall have the right to demand the production of books of accounts, connected vouchers and other documents of the Board.
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1. Substituted by the Major Port Trusts (Amendment) Act (29 of 1974), Section 31 (1-2-1975),
Section 103 - Publication of audit report
(1) Within fourteen days after the audit and examination of the accounts of a Board have been completed, the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India shall forward copies of the audit report to the Central Government and to the Board.
(2) The Central Government shall cause every audit report to be laid for not less than thirty days before each House of Parliament as soon as may be after such report is received by the Government.
Section 104 - Board to remedy defects and irregularities pointed out in audit report
Every Board shall forthwith take into consideration any defects or irregularities that may be pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India in the audit report on the income and expenditure of the Board and shall take such action thereon as the Board may think fit and shall also send a report of the action so taken to the Central Government.
Section 105 - Central Government to decide difference between Board and auditors
If there is a difference of opinion between any Board and the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India on any point included in the audit report, and the Board is unable to accept and implement the recommendations, if any, made by him on such point, the matter shall forthwith be referred to the Central Government which shall pass final orders therein and the Board shall be bound to give effect to such orders.