19. Information, reports or returns.—The Central Government may, in relation to its functions
under this Act, from time to time, require any person, officer, State Government or other authority to
furnish to it, any prescribed authority or officer any reports, returns, statistics, accounts and other
information as may be deemed necessary and such person, officer, State Government or other authority,
as the case may be, shall be bound to do so.
20. Protection of action taken in good faith.—No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall
lie against the Government or any officer or other employee of the Government or any authority
constituted under this Act or executing any scheme made under this Act or any member, officer or other
employee of such authority or authorities in respect of anything which is done or intended to be done in
good faith in pursuance of this Act or the rules or schemes made, or the orders or directions issued,
thereunder.
21. Effect of other laws and agreements inconsistent with the Act.—(1) Subject to the provisions
of sub-section (2), the provisions of this Act, the rules, schemes or orders made thereunder shall have
effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any enactment other than this Act,
custom, tradition, contract, agreement or other instrument.
(2) If any act or omission constitutes an offence punishable under this Act and also under any other
Act, then, the offender found guilty of such offence shall be liable to be punished under the other Act, and
not under this Act.
22. Power of Central Government to make rules.—(1) The Central Government may, by
notification, make rules to carry out the provisions of this Act.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any
of the following matters, namely:—
(i) the composition of the Project Committees, Monitoring Committees and other committees
constituted by the Central Government under sub-section (1) of section 13, the powers and functions
thereof, the number of members and their terms and conditions of appointment and other matters
connected therewith;
(ii) the fees and allowances to be paid to the members of the committees constituted under subsection (1) of section 13.
(3) Every rule made by the Central Government under this Act, shall be laid, as soon as may be after
it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which
may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the
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session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree that the
rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no
effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without
prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.
23. Power of State Government to make rules.—(1) The State Government may, by notification,
make rules, not being a matter for which the rules are or required to be made by the Central Government,
for carrying out the provisions of this Act.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any
of the following matters, namely:—
(i) the composition of the State Co-ordination Committees and other committees constituted by
the State Government under sub-section (4) of section 13, the powers and functions thereof, the
number of members and their terms and conditions of appointment and other matters connected
therewith;
(ii) the fees and allowances to be paid to the members of the committees constituted under subsection (4) of section 13;
(iii) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, prescribed.
(3) Every rule and every scheme made by the State Government under this Act shall be laid, as soon
as may be after it is made, before the State Legislature.
24. Power to remove difficulties.—(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of
this Act, the Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions,
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as may appear to it to be necessary or expedient for the
removal of the difficulty:
Provided that no such order shall be made in relation to a State after the expiration of three years from
the commencement of this Act in that State.
(2) Every order made under this section shall, as soon as may be after it is made, be laid before each
House of Parliament.