The Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, 2020

--- Section 1. Section 1.Short title and commencement. --- (1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, 2020. (2) It shall come into force at once. --- Section 2. Section 2.Definitions. --- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— (a) “agriculture” means growing or cultivation of plants or crops, production of agriculture, horticulture, apiculture, sericulture or forest produce or any other such activity for the purpose of food, fodder, fibre, bio-fuel and raw materials for agro-industries; (b) “agricultural land” means all land that is used for the purpose of agriculture; (c) “Authority” means the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Authority constituted under section 5; (d) “District” means the revenue district; (e) “District Collector” means the District Collector or any other officer authorised by the Government to perform the functions of the District Collector; (f) “Government” means the State Government; (g) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules; (h) “protected agricultural zone” means the area specified in the First Schedule; (i) “Schedule” means the Schedule appended to this Act; (j) “State” means the State of Tamil Nadu. --- Section 3. Section 3.Develoment of Agriculture. --- The Government shall take necessary steps,— (a) to use the available agricultural lands for sustainable development of agriculture and ensure that the agricultural activities are not unduly constrained by non-agricultural use or other development; (b) to develop the protected agricultural zone through integrated farming and enhanced cultivation practices by promotion of technologies to increase production and productivity of crops and farms; (c) to promote optimum usage of water including flood management and other inputs in the field of agriculture; (d) to promote agro-based and allied industries for sustainable agricultural development; and (e) to promote research and development including skill building in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. --- Section 4. Section 4.Prohibition. --- (1) No person shall undertake any new project or new activity specified in the Second Schedule in the protected agricultural zone. (2) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall,— (a) affect the activities or projects in operation in the protected agricultural zone before the date of coming into force of this Act; (b) affect infrastructure developments in the protected agricultural zone such as harbour, pipelines, road, tele communications, power, water supply and other utilities. --- Section 5. Section 5.Constitution of Authority. --- (1) There shall be an Authority, by the name, the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Authority, consisting of the following members to carry out the purposes of this Act:— (i) The Chief Minister – Chairperson; (ii) The Deputy Chief Minister – Member; (iii) The Minister for Finance – Member; (iv) The Minister for Law – Member; (v) The Minister for Agriculture – Member; (vi) The Minister for Environment – Member; (vii) The Minister for Rural Development and Local Administration – Member; (viii) The Minister for Industries – Member; (ix) The Minister for Rural Industries – Member; (x) The Minister for Animal Husbandry – Member ; (xi) The Minister for Fisheries – Member; (xii) The Chief Secretary to Government – Member, Ex-officio; (xiii) The Agricultural Production Commissioner and Secretary to Government, Agriculture Department – Member-Secretary, Ex-officio; (xiv) The Secretary to Government, Finance Department – Member, Ex-officio; (xv) The Secretary to Government, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department – Member, Ex-officio; (xvi) The Secretary to Government, Industries Department – Member, Ex-officio; (xvii) The Secretary to Government, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department – Member, Ex-officio; (xviii) The Secretary to Government, Environment and Forest Department – Member, Ex-officio; (xix)The Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Department – Member, Ex-officio; (xx) The Secretary to Government, Public Works Department – Member, Ex-officio; (xxi) The Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University – Member, Ex-officio; (xxii) A Member of Parliament and two Members of Legislative Assembly representing the protected agricultural zone to be nominated by the Government – Members; (xxiii) Three representatives of farmers to be nominated by the Government – Members; (xxiv) One expert each in the field of Agricultural Science, Horticultural Science and Veterinary and Animal Science to be nominated by the Government –Members. (2) The headquarters of the Authority shall be at Chennai. (3) The Authority shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal, and shall by the said name sue and be sued. --- Section 6. Section 6.Terms and conditions of appointment of nominated members of Authority --- (1) A nominated member shall hold office for a period of three years from the date of his nomination and he is eligible for re-nomination: Provided that the Member of Parliament and the Members of Legislative Assembly shall hold office for a period of one year or till the expiry of his term of office, whichever is earlier and shall be eligible for re-nomination. (2) A nominated member may, by writing under his hand addressed to the Government, resign his office, but he shall continue to hold office until his resignation is accepted by the Government. (3) When the office of a nominated member becomes vacant by resignation, death, removal, disqualification or otherwise, the Government shall nominate within two months a new member to fill such vacancy. (4) The Government may remove a nominated member from his office, if he incurs any one of the disqualifications specified below, namely:— (a) becomes an un-discharged insolvent; or (b) is convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for an offence; or (c) becomes of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court. (5) The nominated members shall be eligible to draw such rate of sitting fee and travelling allowance, as may be prescribed. --- Section 7. Section 7.Meetings of Authority. --- (1) The Authority shall meet, as often as may be necessary, at such time and place and observe such rules of procedure as may be decided by the chairperson: Provided that the Authority shall meet at least twice in a year. (2) The chairperson shall preside over the meeting of the Authority. (3) In the absence of the chairperson, members present shall elect one among themselves to preside over the meeting. (4) The quorum for the meeting shall be fifty per cent of the members of the Authority. (5) Notice of the meetings of the Authority, the place and procedure regarding transactions of business of the Authority shall be such as may be decided by the chairperson. --- Section 8. Section 8.Functions of Authority. --- The Authority shall perform the following functions, namely: (a) suggest measures for fostering the infrastructure for food security; (b) recommend policies for the protection and development of agriculture and its allied activities; (c) recommend schemes for irrigation and flood management in the protected agricultural zone; (d) take necessary steps to increase agricultural production and productivity; (e) facilitate the promotion of agro-based and allied industries in the protected agricultural zone; (f) suggest measures for preserving agricultural lands for farming and allied activities for providing stability to the farming economy; (g) recommend steps for augmenting water resources through efficient rain water harvesting methods, such as creation of adequate water storage structures, creation of farm ponds in private lands and check dams; (h) suggest measures for efficient water use in agriculture including micro irrigation especially in water intensive crops; (i) recommend various measures for improving the soil health, such as adoption of integrated farming system, green manuring, soil test based fertilizer application, alternate cropping, rice fallow pulses and integrated pest management practices; (j) suggest measures for efficient use of solar energy for the purpose of irrigation and value addition; (k) give recommendations on direct marketing of farm products, such as farmers markets and outlets for Farmer Producer Organizations, to increase the farm income; (l) promote activities that supply inputs and process farm produces relating to agriculture and allied sectors; (m) explore various ways to promote the establishment of Food Parks and Agro Processing Clusters which generate additional income to farmers of the protected agricultural zone; (n) promote optimum usage of agricultural machinery in the protected agricultural zone to enhance efficiency of farming operations; (o) initiate various studies, on factors contributing to increase in agricultural production and productivity and on impact of specific measures taken up by the Government in the protected agricultural zone; (p) recommend measures to provide adequate sustainable employment opportunities to agricultural labourers; (q) promote agro forestry and social forestry in the protected agricultural zone; (r) formulate development projects in the above areas and to seek funds for such projects; and (s) perform such other functions, as may be prescribed. --- Section 10. Section 10.Functions of District Level Comittee. --- (1) The District Level Committee shall carry out the directions given by the Authority and shall assist the Authority in discharging its functions in the district. (2) The District Level Committee may seek the opinion of experts in the relevant fields, as deemed necessary, in the discharge of its functions. --- Section 11. Section 11.Fund of Authority --- (1) The Authority shall have a fund to be called the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Fund. (2) All moneys paid by the Government from the Consolidated Fund of the State shall be credited to the fund. (3) All moneys received by the Authority shall be deposited in the State Bank of India or in any other nationalised bank or co-operative bank, as may be prescribed. --- Section 12. Section 12.Expenditure --- The expenditure incurred by the Authority for meeting the salaries and allowances, including contingencies of the employees serving under the Authority shall be defrayed out of the fund.