REGISTERED No. D-(D)-72
The Gazette of India
EXTRAORDINARY
PART II—Section 2
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
No. 38] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1978/SRAVANA 20, 1900
Separate paging is given to (Ills Part in order that it may be filed as a separate compilation
RAJYA SABHA
The following Bills were introduced in the Rajya Sabha on the 11th
August, 1978: —
I
BILL NO. XIII OF 1978
A Bill further to amend the Constitution of India.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-ninth Year of the Republic
of India as follows: —
1. This Act may be called the Constitution (Amendment) Act, 1978. | Short title.
2. After article 371F of the Consititution, the following article shall be
inserted namely: —
Insertion of new- article 371G.
"371G. (2) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the President may, by order made with respect to the State of Bihar, provide for the establishment by the Government of Bihar of a Board to be known as the Mithila Development Board (hereafter in this article referred to as the Board), consisting of—
Special provision with respect to the State of Bihar.
(a) sixteen geologists and engineers, eight of whom shall be nominated by the Government of Bihar and the remaining by the Government of India,
(b) the Minister of Industry, Government of India, ex-officio;
(c) the Chief Minister of State of Bihar, ex-officio or, in
his absence, the Governor of Bihar, ex-officio;
(d) one economist, to be nominated by the Government of India in consultation with the Government of Bihar, who shall act as the Director of the Board.
1079)
1080 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—(2) The Board shall take steps to secure rapid development of agriculture and industry in the State of Bihar and, in particular, in the districts of Purnea, North Bhagalpur, Saharsa, North Monghyr, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Champaran and Saran.
(3) The Board shall, annually or whenever so required by the President, make a report to the President regarding the progress of development in different fields and the executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of directions to the Board and the State of Bihar as to the development measures taken or to be taken by the Board in consultation with the Government of Bihar.
(4) The President may make such other orders in respect of the development of the State of Bihar as he may consider necessary having regard to the requirements of the! State.
SEC. 2] THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY 1081STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
In the State of Bihar the districts of North Bihar, namely, Purnea, North Bhagalpur, Saharsa; (old) North Monghyr, Darbhanga, Madhu- bani, Samastipur, (old) Muzaffarpur, (old) Champaran and (old) Saran have, in the all-India context, been at the lowest rung in the matter of industrial development. These areas have vast natural resources. If these natural resources are thoroughly surveyed and exploited, North Bihar would become an economically prosperous part of the Country. But, unfortunately, nothing has been done so far in thid direction.
It is, therefore, felt that there should be a. provision in the Constitution so as to empower the President to order the establishment by Ihe Gov- ernment of Bihar of the Mithila Development Board which shall, under the control of the State Government and over all support and supervision of the Central Government, take all necessary steps for the! rapid agro- indusitrial development of undeveloped areas of North Bihar. It is, ac- cordingly, proposed to insert a new article 371G in the Constitution.
Hence this Bill.
SHIVA CHANDRA JHA,
FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM
Clause 2 of the Bill seeks to empower the President 'to ordeu the establishmen/t by the Government of Bihar of a Boajrd to be known as the Mithila Development Board. It is estimated thalt approximately a sum of Rs. 50 crores may be required for the setting up of various indus- tries and for taking other steps for the development of North Bihar, in- cluding the expenditure to be incurred on the establishment of the Board and a sum of Rs. 2 crores for meeting the recurring expenditure. These amount will, however, be met from the resources of the State of Bihar.
1082 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—BILL N O. IXV OF 1978
A Bill further to amend the Constitution of India
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-ninth Year of the Republic
of India as follows: —
1. This Act may be called the Constitution (Amendment) Act, 1978.
Short title.
2. For article 371 of the Constitution, the following article shall be
substituted, namely: —
Substitu- tion of new- article for article 371.
Special provision with respect to the States of Maha- rashtra and Gujarat.
"371. (.?) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the President may, by order made with respect to the State of Maharashtra or Gujarat, provide for the establishment of separate boards for the development of Maharashtra or, as the case may be, of Gujarat, and, in particular, of the districts of Nagpur, Akola, Amravati, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Wardha and Yavatmal in Vidarbha region and the districts of Aurangabad, Bir, Parbhani, Nanded and Osmanabad in the Marathwada region and Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat, by the Government of Maharashtra or, as the case may be, by the Gov- ernment of Gujarat.
Si*. 2] THE GA2£TT"K OP INDIA EXTRAORDINARY 1083(2) Each board shall take special steps to secure rapid and accele- rated development of the said areas in all fields, educational, econo- mic, cultural and social, in order to bring these areas in each State on par with other developed areas of the State.
(3) Each board shall make a report to the Government of the respective State and to the President after every six months regard- ing the progress ol development in different fields and the executive power of the UTrion shall extend to the giving of directions to the board and the concerned Government as to the development measures taken or to be taken by the board in consultation with the Govern- ment of the State.
(4) The President may make such other orders in respect of the development of each State as he may consider necessary having regard to the requirements of each State.
1084 T HE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 2] j.STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
Under article 371 of the Constitution, a special provision for the deve- lopment of the States of Maharashtra and Gujarat was made at the time of the formation ol these States. The leaders of Maharashtra have all along been giving assurances to the effect that the underdeveloped areas ol that State would not suffer for want of attention in the matter of development. But actually, such areas have not received a fair deal with the result that the people there had to voice all the time their grievances in this regard and make representations for getting a fair deal. There was a peaceful movement in 1970-71 on the issue of development of these areas. The situation is still far from satisfactory.
In the new dispensation in the country, an element of diffusion has been introduced in the approach of the Sixth Five Year Plan towards the development of backward regions. In this context, it is, therefore, imperative that the people of Vidaibha and Marathwada are assured of speedy development of the underdeveloped areas comprising these regions.
It is, therefore, proposed to substitute a new provision for the exist- ing one in article 371 of the Constitution with a view to achieving this object.
Hence this Bill.
S. K. VAISHAMPAYEN.
S, S. BHALERAO,