Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation (Amendment)

Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation (Amendment) AN ACT TO AMEND THE CEYLON STATE PLANTATIONS CORPORATION ACT, NO .4 OF 1958. BE it enacted by the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka as follows :- Short title. 1. This Act may be cited as the Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation (Amendment) Act, No, 49 of 1979. Replacement of long title to Act No. 4 of 1958. 2. The long title to the Ceylon State Plantations Corporation Act, (hereinafter referred to as the “principal enactment “) is hereby repealed and the following long title substituted therefor:- ” An Act to provide for the establishment of a Corporation for the purpose of setting up and carrying on agricultural undertakings; to specify such agricultural undertakings ; to regulate the powers and duties of such Corporation ; and to make provision for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”. Ceylon State Plantations Corporation to be known as the Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation. 3. In the principal enactment and in any other written law, or in any notice, communication, form or other document issued, made, required or authorized by or under the principal enactment or any other written law, there shall be substituted for the words ” Ceylon State Plantations Corporation”, the words ” Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation.” Amendment of section 3 of the principal enactment. 4. Section 3 of the principal enactment is hereby amended as follows :- (1) by the repeal of subsection (1) of that section and the substitution therefor, of the following new subsection : (1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2), there shall be seven members of the Corporation who shall be appointed by the Minister. Such members shall be appointed from among persons possessing a knowledge of planting, management, accountancy or labour relations, or who have expertise in industrial, financial and commercial matters. One of, such members shall be an officer of the General Treasury, who shall hereafter in this Act be referred to as the ” official member “;and (2) by the repeal of subsection (2) of that section and the substitution therefor of the following new sub- section :- ” (2) If a member of the Corporation is temporarily unable to function as such member, the Minister may,- (a) where the member is not the official member, appoint any person to act as a member of the Corporation ; and (b) where the member who is so unable to function is the official member, appoint any other officer of the General Treaesury, to act as a member of the Corporation.”. Amendment of section 4 of the principal enactment. 5. Section 4 of the principal enactment is hereby amended in subsections (1) and (2) of that section by the substitution for the words ” an official member ” appearing in those subsections, of the words ” the official member “. Replacement of section 5 of the principal enactment. 6. Section 5 of the principal enactment is hereby repealed and the following new section substituted therefor:- ” Objects of the Corporation. 5. The objects of the Corporation shall be- (a) to manage agricultural and estate lands vested in, transferred or alienated to the Corporation by the Government or any other person or acquired by the Corporation, and to promote optimum productivity on such lands; (b) to co-ordinate and manage agricultural crops by rehabilitating existing crops or diversifying crops on such lands ; (c) to raise livestock on such lands ; (d) to process and sell agricultural produce; (e) to establish, maintain and operate plant, equipment and machinery for agricultural purposes on such lands; (f) to manage, administer and supervise business undertakings vested in, transferred or alienated to the Corporation by the Government or any other person, or acquired by the Corporation ; (g) to perform functions connected with secretarial work, accounting and audit in relation to the business of the Corporation ; (h) to provide a comprehensive management service in respect of its plantation business ; (i) to carry out all such measures as are deemed necessary in the interest of the proper management of such lands ; and (j) to carry out any other business incidental to the operation and management of the Corporation. ” Amendment of section 6 of the principal enactment. 7. Section 6 of the principal enactment is hereby amended as follows :- (1) in subsection (1) of that section, by the substitution for the proviso to that subsection, of the following new proviso :- ” Provided that no immovable property of the Corporation shall be given on hire, leased, sold or otherwise disposed of, without the prior approval in writing of the Minister.”; and (2) by the repeal of subsection (2) of that section, and the substitution therefor, of the following new subsection:- ” (2) The Corporation shall have the power- (a) to engage in any agricultural, industrial or commercial enterprise connected with or incidental to any of the objects of the Corporation ; (b) to establish, maintain and provide welfare and other recreational facilities, houses, hostels and other recreational facilities, houses, hostels and other like accommodation, for the persons employed by or serving the Corporation ; (c) to enter into and perform, either directly or indirectly, through any member, officer, servant or agent of the Corporation all such contracts or agreements as may be necessary for the exercise of the powers and the carrying out of the objects of the Corporation ; (d) to do anything necessary for the purpose of advancing the skill of persons employed by the Corporation, or the efficiency of the equipment of the Corporation, or the manner in which that equipment is operated, including the provision by the Corporation, and the assistance of the provision by others, of facilities for training persons required to carry out the work of the Corporation ; and (e) to do anything necessary for, or conducive or incidental to, the carrying out of the objects of the Corporation.”.