Section 79. Leave allowances, provident fund, annuities and gratuities.

79. (1) In every case where a board is entitled to pay a salary to any officer or servant, it shall, subject to any 1regulations in this behalf, be entitled to pay leave allowances to such officer or servant. (2) A Municipality may establish and maintain a provident fund2 and may itself contribute thereto. (3) A Municipality may grant a gratuity, upon his retirement, to any servant of the Municipality who is excluded from participation in the benefits of the provident fund. (4) The Municipality may, with the previous sanction of the 3[State Government], grant or arrange for the purchase of an annuity to - (a) any servant who, at the date of his retirement, has not been contributing to ta provident fund established under sub-section (2) or has contributed thereto for a period of less than 10 years, and (b) any officer or servant injured, otherwise than by reason of his own default, in the execution of his duty, or, where such injury results in death, the family of such officer or servant. (5) A Municipality may, with the like sanction, instead of taking action under clause (b) of sub-section (4), grant a compassionate allowance to an officer or servant referred to therein, or to the family of such officer or servant.