Section 57 in The Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1959
57. Village fund.
(1)There shall be in each village a fund, which shall be called the village fund.(2)The following shall be paid into, and form part of, the village fund, namely:-(a)the amount which may be allotted to the village fund by the State Government under the provisions of section 191 of the Bombay District Municipal Act, [1901] [See now the Municipalities Act, 1965 (Maharashtra XL of 1965)] or [* * *] [These words 'under the said Act in its application to the Saurashtra area of the State of Bombay and' were omitted by the Maharashtra Adaptation of Laws (State and Concurrent Subjects) Order, 1960.] under section 8 of the Central Provinces and Berar Municipalities Act, [1922] [See now the Municipalities Act, 1965 (Maharashtra XL of 1965)];(b)[ the proceeds of any tax of fee imposed under section 124 except the general water rate and the special water rate levied under clauses (viii) and (xii), respectively, of sub-section (1) of that section] [Clause (b) was substituted by Maharashtra 5 of 1997, Section 4(a).];(c)the proceeds or a tax on professions, trades, callings and employments assigned to the panchayat [under clause (b) of section 163 of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961] [This portion was substituted for the words, brackets, letter and figures' under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 102C of the Bombay Local Boards Act, 1923', by Maharashtra 36 of 1965 Section 31(1).];(d)[ the sum representing the share of the panchayat in the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees levied by the State as distributed and allocated and determined by the State Government on the recommendations of the Finance Commissioner;] [Clause (d) was inserted by Maharashtra 21 of 1994, Section 22.](e)all other sums ordered by a court to be placed to the credit of the village fund;(f)the sale proceeds of all dust, dirt, dung, refuse or carcasses of animals expect so far as any person is entitiled to the whole or a portion thereof;(fa)[ the sale proceeds or royalty of the minor forest produce collected to the Scheduled Areas within the jurisdiction of a panchayat and vested in that panchayat.] [Clause (fa) was inserted by Maharashtra 46 of 1997, Section 4.](g)sums contributed to the village fund by the State Government of [Zilla Parishad or Panchayat Samiti] [These words were substituted for the words 'District Local Board' by Maharashtra 5 of 1962 Section 286 Tenth Schedule.];(h)all sums received by way of loans from the State Government or the [Zilla Parishad] [These words were substituted for the words 'District Local Board' by Maharashtra 5 of 1962 Section 286 Tenth Schedule.] or out of the District Village Development Fund constituted under section 133 [and all sums borrowed under section 57A] [This portion was added by Maharashtra 35 of 1963, Section 80 Schedule.];(i)all sums received by way of gift or contributions by the panchayat,(j)the income or proceeds of any property vesting in the panchayat',(k)[* * * * *] [Clause (k) was deleted by Maharashtra 13 of 1975, 15.](l)the net proceeds (after deducting the expenses of assessment and collection) of the cess authorised by section 127;(m)all sums realised by way of rent or penalty otherwise than as the amount of any fine in a criminal case;(n)all sums received as pound fees after deducting the expenses;(o)[ all sums received by way of commission by a panchayat, when acting as an insurance agent for implementing any rural insurance Scheme of the Life Insurance Corporation of India.] [Clause (o) was added by Maharashtra 36 of 1965 Section 32(2).](3)[ [The Secretary and the Sarpanch shall be jointly responsible for the safe custody of the village fund, the Village Water Supply Fund and other moneys received on behalf of the panchayat, from time to time, and shall jointly operate them for the following purposes] [Sub-sections (3) and (4) were added by Maharashtra 4 of 1981, Section 3.] namely:-(a)authorisation of payments, issue of cheques and refunds in compliance with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder or the resolutions duly passed by the panchayat;(b)receive all sums of money on behalf of the panchayat in response to notices, bills, appeals and other processes issued by the panchayat;(c)issue of receipts in the prescribed manner for all sums of money received on behalf of the panchayat and crediting them in the relevant fund;(d)hold cash imprest on hand, of not more [than one hundred and fifty] [These words were substituted for the letters and figures 'than Rs 50' by Maharashtra 1 of 1998 Section 2(a).] at a time, for contingent purpose of the panchayat;(e)incur contingent expenditure [upto one hundred rupees] [These words were substituted for the words 'upto ten rupees' by Maharashtra 1 of 1998 Section 2(b).] at any one on occasion;(f)for performing such other duties and exercising such other power in regard to the funds as may be prescribed.(4)The Secretary shall submit a weekly statement of accounts to the [panchayat] [This word was substituted for the word 'Sarpanch' by Maharashtra 38 of 2006, Section 9(b)(1).] and a monthly statement of account to the Block Development Officer, giving in particular the details of the receipts into and payments from and the balance in the funds. [* * * *] [The words 'under his control' were deleted by Maharashtra 38, of 2006, Section 9(b)(ii), (w.e.f. 21.12.2006).]. ]
