Section 85 in The West Bengal Primary Education Act, 1973
85. Welfare Committee.
(1)There shall be a Welfare Committee [for each primary school in an area in respect of which a scheme, referred to in section 79, has been prepared, and such scheme has been sanctioned by the State Government under sub-section (1) of section 81.] [Words, figures and brackets substituted for the words 'for each primary school,' by W.B. Act 10 of 1999.]. The Welfare Committee shall be constituted by the Primary School Council and shall consist of the following members, namely :-(a)the head teacher of the primary school;(b)one assistant teacher of the primary school elected by the teachers other than the head teacher thereof from amongst themselves;(c)four guardians elected in the prescribed manner by guardians of the students reading in the primary school from amongst themselves;(d)one person interested in education nominated by the Primary School Council concerned; and(e)where the primary school is situated within the jurisdiction of -(i)a Gram Panchayat, one person elected in the prescribed manner by the members of such Gram Panchayat from amongst themselves,(ii)[ a municipal authority, one person elected in the prescribed manner by the municipal authority from amongst the persons residing within a distance of sixteen hundred metres from the premises of the school.] [[Clause (ii) substituted by W.B. Act 13 of 1997, which was earlier as under :-'(ii) the Corporation of Calcutta or a municipality, one person elected in the prescribed manner by the Councilors of Corporation of Calcutta or by the municipal authority of such municipality, as the case may be, from amongst the persons residing within a distance of sixteen hundred meters from the premises of the school.'.]][Explanation. - In this clause, the expression "municipal authority" shall have the same meaning as in section 76.] [['Explanation' substituted by W.B. Act 13 of 1997, which was earlier as under :-'Explanation. - In this clause the expression 'municipal authority' has the same meaning as in section 76.'.]](2)There shall be a Chairman and a Secretary of the Welfare Committee elected from amongst the members referred to in clauses (c), (d) and (e) of sub-section (1).(3)The head teacher of the school concerned shall be the Assistant Secretary of the Welfare Committee.(4)If a Welfare Committee is not formed within six months from the date on which the Act comes into force in any area in which the primary school is situated, the Primary School Council shall appoint an ad hoc Welfare Committee with four nominated guardians and the head teacher as members. Such ad hoc Committee shall function until a Welfare Committee is formed in the manner laid down in sub-section (1).(5)The Welfare Committee shall hold office for a term of four years.(6)It shall be the duty of the Welfare Committee to advise on matters relating to the administration, development and improvement of the school, promotion of cordial relationship among guardians, teachers and students, the health of the students, books and the meals, if any, to be supplied in such school.(7)The Welfare Committee shall perform such other functions and discharge such other duties as are mentioned in this Act or, as may be prescribed.(8)The Welfare Committee shall perform its functions and discharge its duties under the supervision and control of the Primary School Council.(9)The Primary School Council shall have the power to dissolve any Welfare Committee if it so thinks fit and appoint an ad hoc Welfare Committee in its place in the same manner as laid down in sub-section (4) which shall function until a new Committee is constituted under sub-section (1).
