(1) There shall be constituted a Fund to be called the Punjab Education Development Fund, which shall vest in the Board established under section 3.
(2) The Fund shall be administered by the Member-Secretary of the Board under the superintendence and control of the Board.
Audit.
Officers and employees of the Board.
Levy and collection of cess.
Constitution of Fund.
(3) The amount of cess levied and collected under section 6 along with the grants received from the State Government and Local authorities, shall be credited to the Fund within such period and in such manner, as may be prescribed.
1[7-A. (1) Subject to the provisions of any other law for the time being in force, any local body or authority or statutory board or corporation or any department of the State Government may, transfer any land or building belonging to or vested in it, to the Board, free of cost or on nominal price for the establishment of Adarsh Schools.
(2) The land or building transferred under sub-section (1), may be utilized by the Board itself for the establishment of Adarsh Schools or the same may be leased out to a private partner on such terms and conditions, as may be agreed upon between the Board and the private partner for the establishment of Adarsh Schools.
7-B. The Board may, or if directed by the Government, shall, establish Adarsh Schools, either directly or through public-private-partnership.
7-C. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the Government, if it considers appropriate and expedient to do so in public interest, it may exempt any Adarsh School, which has been established and is running or the infrastructure, to be used for establishing Adarsh Schools, from the payment of tax, cess, levy or fee or any other charge, which may be imposed, levied or collected by the State Government itself or on its behalf by any authority or body, whether incorporated or not.]
8. 2[(1) The Fund shall be applied for improving the quality of education including the establishment, operation and infrastructure of Adarsh Schools in the State of Punjab.]
1 Inserted by Punjab Act No. 5 of 2008, Section 4 2 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 5 of 2008, Section 5 Purpose for which the fund may be applied.
Transfer of land or building.
Public-privatepartnership.
Exemption form payment of tax or fee etc.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-section (1), the Fund shall be specifically, applied for the following purposes, namely: - 1[(a) to acquire land for educational purposes;]
2[(aa) to construct buildings of schools;]
(b) to provide infrastructure and amenities such as water supply.
basic sanitation, furniture and teaching aids in the schools;
(c) for providing and augmenting facilities such as libraries, laboratories and computer equipment and other vocational aids in the schools; and
(d) any other purpose as may be considered necessary by the quality of Board for improving the quality of education and in furtherance of the provisions of this Act.
3[(3) The capital including the operational and infrastructural costs of Adarsh Schools, shall be the first charge on the Fund.]
9. The Government may, from time to time, issue to the Board such orders and directions as in its opinion are necessary or expedient for carrying out the purposes of this Act and the Board shall give effect to such orders and directions.
10. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against the Government or any officer of the Government or Board in respect of anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of the provisions of this Act, rules or regulations made or any order issued thereunder.