(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the functions of the Corporation shall be to undertake generally the task of economic welfare of the members of the Scheduled Castes through industrial and commercial activities.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of this section, the functions of the Corporation shall be—
(i) to plan and promote training programmes for increasing the skill and efficiency in different traditional occupations and to establish vocational institutes for the purpose;
(ii) to promote employment opportunities in various trades and crafts and to sanction stipends for training in different training institutes;
(iii) to provide necessary infra-structures in connection with all traditional occupations such as establishing `dhobighats', 'tanning grounds', 'fisheries', etc.;
(iv) to encourage and undertake setting up of manufacturing and processing units on commercial basis;
(v) to promote entrepreneurship by sponsoring selfemployment programmes in different trades, crafts and business with the assistance of various financing institutions;
(vi) to arrange the supply of necessary inputs at reasonable prices for different trades and crafts and to acquire and instal suitable machinery and equipments for the purpose of hiring out;
(vii) to plan, promote and undertake, on its own or in collaboration with such agencies as may be approved by the Corporation, programmes of agricultural development, marketing, processing, supply and storage of agricultural produce, small-scale industry, building construction, transport and such other business, trade or activity as may be approved in this behalf by the State Government;
203 Functions of the Corporation.
The West Bengal Scheduled Castes Development and Finance Corporation Act, 1976.
[West Ben. Act (Section 15.)
(viii) to arrange for in-service training, apprenticeship, dealership, etc., in different factories, commercial organisations and industrial complexes;
(ix) to provide financial assistance by way of grants, subsidies and loans in cash or kind for such purposes as may be approved by the Corporation and also by providing cash credit accommodation against hypothecation of their products;
(x) to find out resources for financing all programmes to be undertaken by the Corporation and to that end to receive grants and gifts, raise loans, issue bonds and debentures, draw, make, accept, discount, execute and issue promissory notes, bills of exchange, hundies, bills, warrants, debentures and other negotiable instruments;
(xi) to invest or deposit surplus funds in Government securities or in such other means to be approved by the Corporation;
(xii) to continue and run the works and programmes transferred to the Corporation by the State Government for operation and to adopt suitable changes for their better execution;
(xiii) to discharge such other functions as may be prescribed or as are supplemental, incidental or consequential to any of the functions conferred on it under this Act.
Powers of the Corporation.
15. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Corporation shall have power—
(a) to acquire or hold such property both movable and immovable as the Corporation may deem necessary for the purpose of any of its functions and to lease, sell or otherwise transfer any property held by it;
(b) to purchase by agreement or to take on lease or under any form of tenancy any land and to erect thereon such buildings as may be necessary for the purpose of carrying on its undertakings;
(c) to enter into or perform such contracts as may be necessary for the discharge of its functions and the exercise of its powers under this Act;
(d) to provide facilities for the consignment, storage and delivery of goods;
(e) with the prior approval of the State Government to do all other things to facilitate the proper carrying on of the business and the functions of the Corporation.
204 The West Bengal Scheduled Castes Development and Finance Corporation Act, 1976.
XXXIX of 1976.]
(Sections 16-19.)
16. The Corporation may take steps for acquisition of any land Acquisition for discharging any of its functions under this Act in the manner of land.
1 of 1894. provided in the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and such acquisition shall be deemed to be acquisition for a public purpose within the meaning of the said Act.
17. It shall be the general principle of the Corporation that in Corporation to act on carrying on its undertakings it shall act on business principles. business principles.