Union of India - Act
The State Financial Corporations Act, 1951
UNION OF INDIA
India
India
The State Financial Corporations Act, 1951
Act 63 of 1951
- Published on 31 October 1951
- Commenced on 31 October 1951
- [This is the version of this document from 1 January 2000.]
- [Note: The original publication document is not available and this content could not be verified.]
- [Amended by The State Financial Corporations (Amendment) Act, 2000 (Act 39 of 2000) on 1 January 2000]
1016.
Statement of Objects and Reasons.-In order to provide medium and long-term credit to industrial undertakings, which falls outside the normal activities of Commercial Banks, a Central Industrial Finance Corporation was set up under the Industrial Finance Corporation Act, 1948 (15 of 1948). The State Governments wish that similar Corporations should also be set up in the States to supplement the work of the Industrial Finance Corporation. The intention is that the State Corporations will confine their activities to financing medium and small scale industries and will, as far as possible, consider only such cases as are outside the scope of the Industrial Finance Corporation. The State Governments also consider that the State Corporations should be established under a special Statute in order to make it possible to incorporate in the Constitution necessary provisions in regard to majority control by the Government, guaranteed by the State Government in regard to the repayment of principal, and payment of a minimum rate of dividend on the shares, restriction on distribution of profits and special powers for the enforcement of its claims and recovery of dues. Since the incorporation, regulation and winding up of such Corporations fall within the purview of Parliament vide Entry No. 43 of the Union List-The State Governments have requested the Government of India to enact the necessary enabling legislation, which is sought to be effected by this Bill.2. The main features of the Bill are as follows:-(i) The Bill provides that the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, establish a Financial Corporation for the State.(ii) The share capital shall be fixed by the State Government but shall not exceed Rs. 2 crores. The issue of the shares to the public will be limited to 25 per cent. of the share capital and the rest will be held by the State Government, the Reserve Bank, Scheduled Banks, Insurance Companies, Investment Trusts, Co-operative Banks and other Financial Institutions.(iii) Shares of the Corporation will be guaranteed by the State Government as to the re-payment of principal and the payment of a minimum dividend to be prescribed in consultation with the Central Government.(iv) The Corporation will be authorised to issue bonds and debentures for amounts which together with the contingent liabilities of the Corporation shall not exceed five times the amount of the paid-up share capital and the reserve fund of the Corporation. These bonds and debentures will be guaranteed as to the payment of the principal and the payment of interest at such rate as may be fixed by the State Government.(v) The Corporation may accept deposits from the public repayable after not less than five years, subject to the maximum not exceeding the paid-up capital.(vi) The Corporation will be managed by a Board consisting of majority of Directors nominated by the State Government, the Reserve Bank and the Industrial Finance Corporation of India.(vii) The Corporation will be authorised to make long-term loans to industrial concerns and to guarantee loans raised by industrial concerns which are repayable within a period not exceeding 25 years. The Corporation will be further authorised to underwrite the issue of stocks, shares, bonds or debentures by industrial concerns, subject to the provision that the Corporation will be required to dispose of any shares, etc., acquired by it in fulfilment of its underwriting liability within a period of 7 years.(viii) Until a reserve fund is created equal to the paid-up share capital of the Corporation, and until the State Government has been repaid all amounts paid by them, if any, in fulfilment of the guarantee liability, the rate of dividend shall not exceed the rate guaranteed by the State Government. Under no circumstances shall the dividend exceed 5 per cent. per annum and surplus profits will be payable to the State Government.(ix) The Corporation will have special privileges in the matter of enforcement of its claims against borrowers.Amendment Act 56 of 1956-Statement of Objects and Reasons.-The working of the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951, during the last few years brought to light certain difficulties. These were considered on official levels by the representatives of the State Financial Corporations and of the Reserve Bank of India in August, 1954 and November, 1955, and certain amendments to the Act were suggested as a result of these discussions.2. Some of the States including Part C States are experiencing some difficulty in establishing separate financial corporations for their States. In order to remove such difficulty, it is proposed to make a provision which would enable a group of two or more States to establish, by agreement among themselves, a Joint Financial Corporation for those States. It also seems desirable to provide for the extension of the jurisdiction of an existing financial corporation of a State to another State by agreement. As it is often difficult for the Central Government, a State Government or the Industrial Finance Corporation of India to transact business directly with an industrial concern in respect of loans or advances to be granted to it, it is proposed to empower the State Financial Corporations to undertake agency functions on their behalf. It is also proposed to amend section 25 of the Act, so that industrial concerns engaged in small scale and cottage industries, not having sufficient tangible assets, may avail themselves of the financial accommodation from State Financial Corporations.3. When the management of an industrial concern is taken over by a State Financial Corporation under section 29 or section 32, of the Act, it is necessary to vest the Corporation with certain powers for the efficient management of the concern. It is proposed to insert in the Act new sections 32-A to 32-F for the purpose and these provisions follow closely those of the Industrial Finance Corporation Act, 1948. It seems desirable to provide for a machinery for the inspection of the working of State Financial Corporations. Accordingly, it is proposed to empower the Reserve Bank to make such inspection at the instance of the Central Government.4. The Bill seeks to achieve these objects. Opportunity has also been taken to introduce in the Act some other amendments of a consequential or procedural nature keeping in view the amendments made from time to time in the Industrial Finance Corporation Act, 1948.Amendment Act 6 of 1962-Statement of Objects and Reasons.-The working of the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951, since 1956 when the Act was last amended has brought to light the need to amend it in certain respects. With the rising tempo of industrialisation of the country it has also become necessary to enlarge the field of operations of the State Financial Corporations to serve the growing needs of the country.2. Under the existing provisions of the Act the State Financial Corporations cannot provide financial assistance to hotel or transport industry, nor can they help in the development of the industrial estates. It is proposed to amend the Act so as to enable the Corporations to render financial assistance for the hotel and transport industries and also in the development of the industrial estate.3. To meet the growing needs of the industry for financial assistance it is necessary to augment their resources sufficiently. Consequently, the borrowing powers of the Corporations are proposed to be increased.4. It is also proposed to amend the Act so as to enable a State Financial Corporation to transact the following kind of new business, namely, the guaranteeing of loan raised by the industrial concerns from the Scheduled Banks or State Co-operative Banks, and the guaranteeing of deferred payments due from any industrial concern in connection with its purchase of goods within India. Besides, the Corporations are also being enabled to retain underwritten shares beyond seven years and to convert loans and debentures into share capital. It is further proposed to enhance the limit of accommodation in the case of public limited companies and co-operative societies to twenty lakhs of rupees.5. The Bill seeks to achieve these objects. Opportunity is also being taken to incorporate some other amendments which are found necessary for the smooth working of the Corporations and are of a consequential, clarificatory and procedural nature. The Notes on clauses appended to the Bill explain the provisions thereof.Amendment Act 77 of 1972-Statement of Objects and Reasons.-In order to give a wider coverage to the activities of the Corporations, it is proposed by clause 2 of the Bill to enlarge the definition of "industrial concern" to include other establishments such as those engaged in maintenance and repair of vehicles as well as concerns engaged in fishing or. maintenance of shore facilities for fishing.2. It is felt that the Financial Corporations should be enabled to play their role effectively in the field of helping technical entrepreneurs and also in promoting units in the industrially backward areas. For these purposes, the corporations should provide assistance on soft terms to deserving units in the small and medium scale sectors of industry. With this in view, clause 4 provides for a special class of shares to be exclusively subscribed by the State Government and the Reserve Bank with no obligation regarding payment of minimum guaranteed dividends.3. Clause 5 of the Bill dispenses with the need to take the prior approval of the Central Government for the fixation by the Reserve Bank of interest on the bonds issued by the Financial Corporations. The limit for the issue of ad hoc bonds by the Financial Corporation is enhanced from 60% to 90% of the paid up capital. Such bonds shall be issued with the previous approval of the State Government and guaranteed by the State Government. It has thus been provided that the State Government is obliged under law to stand guarantee in respect of such issues of bonds.4. To ease the constraint in the resources of the Financial Corporations, it is provided in clause 6 that the instruments relating to loans or advances granted by a Financial Corporation may be transferred to other institutions. 5. It is proposed to ensure that the appointment by the State Government of a managing director, who is the chief executive of a Corporation, is made only after proper consultation and after obtaining the advice of the Reserve Bank. Clause 7 of the Bill is intended for the purpose.6.. Clause 13 of the Bill empowers a Financial Corporation to establish additional offices or agencies as it may consider necessary for the purposes of its business.7. The Board of the Financial Corporation is empowered by clause 14 of the Bill to determine the remuneration and other conditions of service of certain categories of personnel whose services are essential for the, proper running of a Financial Corporation. They will in that respect not be governed by the regulations prescribed under the Act.8. There is a widening of the scope for assistance by Financial Corporations by permitting the granting of assistance on the guarantees available under any credit guarantee scheme. This is expected to be of great help to small entrepreneurs. To prevent disproportionate locking up of funds of a Financial Corporation in the share capital of any industrial unit and also to spread the assistance more equitably, appropriate ceilings are provided in respect of the holdings. To spread the assistance to a larger number of industrial units and also to reduce the risk of the Financial Corporations in the matter of guarantees and under-writing obligations, it is proposed to have an overall ceiling in the granting of assistance while at the same time enhancing the limits of loan assistance suitably. Clauses 15 and 16 of the Bill are intended to achieve the above objects.9. The Financial Corporations normally reserve the power to nominate one or more directors on the Board of the assisted concerns. The amendment to section 27 of the Act by clause 17 of the Bill is intended to enable the Financial Corporations to exercise the power more effectively.10. It is the intention to exclude assistance to large industrial concerns and to concerns in which the directors of the Corporation are beneficially interested. These are provided for in clause 18 of the Bill.11. As there are Union territories with areas contiguous to more than one State and as it is desirable that they are enabled to form joint Financial Corporations with more than one State, clause 17 incorporates the necessary amendments to section 46-A of the Act. To achieve the purpose provision is also made to rescind existing agreements where necessary.12. The Bill seeks to achieve these main objects. Opportunity has also been taken to incorporate some other amendments`which are found necessary for the smooth working of the Corporations. They are of consequential or procedural nature. The notes on clauses appended to the Bill explain the provisions thereof.Amendment Act 43 of 1985-Statement of Objects and Reasons.-The Financial Corporations established under the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951, have been conceived as Regional Development Banks for accelerating the industrial growth in various States by providing financial assistance mainly to small and smaller of the medium scale industries. In the light of the experience gained over the past 30 years, it has become necessary to effect certain amendments to the Act. Most of these amendments are for providing more operational flexibility to the Financial Corporations for functioning as developmental agencies.2. The main proposals for amendments are as follows:-(a) It is proposed to widen the definition of "industrial concern" as contained in the Act so as to enable the Financial Corporations to finance all kinds of industrial activities, with the exception of shipping, being financed by the all-India financial institutions.(b) In view of the constantly expanding business of the Financial Corporations, it is proposed to raise the authorised share capital of a Financial Corporation from Rs. 10 crores to Rs. 50 crores or such higher amount within an overall limit to Rs. 100 crores.(c) In order to establish an organic link between financial and promotional bodies, it is proposed to make promotional agencies like State Industrial Development/Investment Corporations, Small Industries Corporations, etc., eligible to subscribe to the shares of the Financial Corporations and thus get formally associated with them.(d) At present Financial Corporations can issue bonds and debentures and raise deposits only if these are guaranteed by the State Governments. It is proposed to allow them to mobilise resources by issuing bonds, debentures and raising deposits which may not be guaranteed by the State Governments, to enable such of the Financial Corporations which are in a position to raise resources on the strength of their efficiency and profitability.(e) The Act at present limits the borrowing by the Financial Corporations from the Reserve Bank against securities to ninety per cent. of their paid up share capital. This limit is proposed to be raised to the extent of twice the paid up share capital to enable them to augment their resources through borrowing.(f) The total amount of deposits which the Financial Corporations can mobilise at present cannot exceed the paid up share capital of the Financial Corporations. It is proposed to raise this limit of deposits to the extent of twice the amount of paid up share capital which could be increased up to ten times the paid up share capital with the approval of the Central Government. This will facilitate the Financial Corporations to mobilise adequate deposits to meet their financial requirements.(g) It is proposed to expand the list of business which the Financial Corporations could undertake. This will, inter alia, enable them to undertake research and service relating to marketing and investment, carry out techno-economic studies, provide technical and administrative assistance to industrial concerns, plan and assist in the promotion and development of industries, discount bills of exchange/ promissory notes, etc. The said expansion will enable them to undertake promotional and developmental work and play the role of regional development banks.(h) It is proposed to change the present security-oriented approach of the Financial Corporations to project-oriented approach. This will enable the Financial Corporations to grant loans, like bridge loans, which are not fully secured.(i) At present, the Financial Corporations can extend financial assistance to the extent of Rs. 30 lakhs to companies/co-operative societies and Rs. 15 lakhs in case of partnership firms and other concerns. These limits are proposed to be increased to Rs. 60 lakhs and Rs. 30 lakhs respectively. The provision in the Act restricts granting of assistance only to industrial concerns having aggregate of paid up share capital and free reserves up to Rs. 1 crore. This limit is proposed to be raised to Rs. 3 crores or such higher limit up to Rs. 30 crores as may be specified by the Central Government. These increases will enable the Financial Corporations to assist the larger and medium projects in participation with other institutions and banks.(j) It is proposed to provide for recovery of any outstanding liability as if such liability were arrears of land revenue. The amendment would provide a simple and effective remedy for dealing with the problem of overdues.(k) At present the provisions of the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951 can be made applicable only to an institution in existence at the commencement of the said Act and which had for its objects the financing of industrial concerns. It is proposed to delete the condition that the institution should have been in existence at the commencement of the said Act. This will enable to apply the provisions of the Act to institutions which have come into existence after the commencement of the Act. This will establish an organic link between these institutions and the Industrial Development Bank of India.3. It is also proposed to make certain other minor and consequential amendments in the Act.Amendment Act 39 of 2000-Statement of Objects and Reasons.-The State Financial Corporations Act, 1951 was enacted to provide for the establishment of State Financial Corporations to create institutional framework for financing medium and small scale industries. The activities, coverage and overall performance of the State Financial Corporations have expanded considerably over the years throwing up several challenges in respect of organisation, management, resource mobilisation, operational efficiency and overall financial resources. With the introduction of economic reforms, the business - environment for all players in the system including the State Financial Corporations is becoming increasingly competitive. To enable the State Financial Corporations to equip themselves to the emerging environment, it was considered necessary to enlarge their shareholder base, provide them with greater functional autonomy and operational flexibility. Therefore, it is proposed to make comprehensive amendments to the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951.2. The main features of the proposed amendments are as follows:-(a) the share capital held by Industrial Development Bank of India in the State Financial Corporations is proposed to be transferred to Small Industries Development Bank of India;(b) the definition of the term "industrial concern" is proposed to be enlarged in order to enable the State Financial Corporations to finance additional or new activities;(c) capital restructuring of the State Financial Corporations is proposed with a view to increase the authorised share capital, enlarge shareholder base, permit issue of share capital up to forty-nine per cent. to the public and also allow the Financial Corporations to reduce or convert the existing share capital;(d) restrictions on issue or sale of bonds, debentures and borrowing money by the State Financial Corporations are being removed;(e) restructuring of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee is proposed in order to enable the State Financial Corporations to exercise greater functional autonomy and operational flexibility;(f) the ceiling on the amount of assistance which may be granted by the State Financial Corporations to an industrial concern is proposed to be increased;(g) autonomy to the State Financial Corporations with regard to investment of funds is proposed to be given;(h) the general body of shareholders of the State Financial Corporations is proposed to be vested with more powers; and(i) the State Governments shall be empowered to issue guidelines on question of policy to the State Financial Corporations so long as they hold not less than fifty-one per cent. of the issued equity share capital. In other cases, the State Governments may advise the Financial Corporations on the matters of policy.[31st October, 1951]An Act to provide for the establishment of State Financial Corporations.Be it enacted by Parliament as follows:-| This Act has been extended to the Union territories of - (1) Dadra and Nagar Haveli by Regulation 6 of 1963; (2) Pondicherry by Regulation 7 of 1963; (3) Goa, Daman and Diu by Regulation 11 of 1963. Goa is now a State, see Act 18 of 1987; and (4) to the State of Sikkim on 24-10-1975 vide Notification No. S.O. 615 (E), dated 23-10-1975.The Act come into force in the State of Jammu and kashmir w.e.f. 7-11-1959.2. Brought into force in all the States on 1-8-1952). |