Before taking any action touching the affairs of the Board under this Act, the Central Government shall ordinarily consult the Board :

Provided that no action taken by the Central Government shall be invalid or called in question merely on the ground that the action was taken without such consultation.]

[9. Rubber Development Fund. -

(1)

There shall be a fund to be called the Rubber Development Fund and there shall be credited,-

(a) all sums forming the funds of the Board immediately before the commencement of the Rubber (Amendment) Act, 2009;

(b) the proceeds of cess paid to the Board by the Central Government under sub-section (7) of section 12;

(c) any sum of money that may be paid to the Board by way of grants or loans by the Central Government;

(d) internal and extra budgetary resources of the Board;

(e) all moneys received and collected under section 26A; and

(f) any other sum that may be levied and collected under this Act and the rules made thereunder.

(2)

The Rubber Development Fund shall be applied-

(a) to meet the expenses of the Board;

(b) to meet the cost of the measures referred to in section 8;

(c) to meet the expenditure incurred in the performance of its functions under this Act or the rules made thereunder;

(d) to meet the expenditure for rehabilitation of small growers; and

(e) for making such grants to rubber estates or for meeting the cost of such other assistance to rubber estates as the Board may think necessary for the development of such estates.]