Financial Assistance for Preservation and Development of Cultural Heriatge of the Himalayas

Financial Assistance for Preservation and Development of Cultural Heriatge of the Himalayas

1. Objective

The objective of the scheme is to promote, protect and preserve the cultural heritage of the Himalayan region spreading in UT of Jammu & Kashmir, UT of Ladakh Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh through research, documentation, dissemination & training etc.

2. Criteria for Grants

i The voluntary organization should be registered as a society under the societies Registration Act 1860 or as a public trust under Indian Trust Act, 1882 and shall have been functioning for a period of three years.
ii The Colleges and Universities are also eligible to apply.
iii The organisation should have the capacity to undertake and promote research projects. It should have facilities, resources and personnel to implement the scheme for which the grant is required;
iv The Colleges and Universities should introduce in their curricula or research course aspects of studies relating to preservation of Himalayan art and culture, in case not already done;
v A college applying for the grant should be affiliated to the University.
vi The grants will be ad-hoc and of a non-recurring nature;
vii Grants from this scheme will be given only to those organizations which are not in receipt of grants from any other source for similar purposes;
viii Organizations which are doing good work in the field and having resources for meeting matching funds will be given preference.
ix The Colleges, Universities are also eligible to apply. Individual Research Scholar can also now apply. However, their application/projects may be forwarded through colleges/Universities.

3. Purpose & quantum of assistance

The financial assistance is given for any of the items listed below up to a maximum of Rs.10.00 lakhs to any single organisation :

Sr. No. Items Maximum amount per annum
i. Study and research on cultural heritage Rs.10.00 lakhs
ii. Preservation of old manuscripts, literature, art & crafts and documentation of cultural activities/ events like music, dance, etc. Rs.10.00 lakhs
iii. Dissemination through audio-visual programmes of art and culture Rs.10.00 lakhs
iv. Training in Traditional and Folk Art Rs.10.00 lakhs

3.1 The maximum grant admissible to an organization would be 75% of the total expenditure to be incurred on any item subject to maximum ceiling fixed. The remaining 25% expenditure or more should be met by the State Govt./U.T. Administration failing which the grantee organization could contribute the amount from their own resources. However, in the case of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, funding will be shared between the Government of India and the organization in the ratio of 90:10 respectively.

4. Procedure for application

4.1 The NEZCC, Dimapur will advertise the scheme on yearly basis. The Advt. shall also be published through NEZCC/Ministry’s websites: https://nezccindia.org.in/http://indiaculture.gov.in. The organization/Research Scholar/Universities/Colleges shall submit complete application alongwith the following documents/information to judge the eligibility of the organization through the State Government, where the project is proposed to be implemented to NEZCC, Dimapur for scrutinizing in NEZCC,Dimapur as per the requirements of the Scheme. The organisations, however, located in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh & Leh and Kargil districts of UT of Ladakh are exempted from submitting their application direct to NEZCC only with the recommendation of concerned District Collector/Dy Commissioner. The Research Scholars, Universities and Colleges shall forward their applications through the U.G.C to NEZCC, Dimapur.Applications which are found incomplete (without SGR and requisite documents provided) will not be processed further for evaluation by the Expert Committee. Applications complete in all respects will be placed for consideration of the Expert Committee in its meeting, which will be constituted by the Ministry of Culture.

Sr. No. Documents/information
i Copy of the valid Registration Certificate clearly showing the validity of the Registration. The copy of the Registration Certificate will be duly certified by a Gazetted Officer.
ii Copy of Memorandum of Association
iii Copies of Audited Accounts for last three years.
iv Copies of Annual Report for last three years supported by documentary evidence of Achievements
v Write-up on the activity to be undertaken alongwith detailed break-up of the cost estimate, funds requirement from the Govt., other sources of funding, completion schedule of the project, etc. 
vi Brief profile in case of research personnel.

4.2 Recommendation :

The State Governments/District Collector/ Deputy Commissioner/UGC while recommending the proposal will :

  • Verify the Registration status of the organisation.
  • Certify that the voluntary organisation is capable of undertaking such projects.
  • Certify that project on the title/area proposed to be undertaken has not been undertaken in the past and it is a new project.
  • Recommend the activity/activities and the amount thereto.

5. Mode of and Conditions for Release of Grants

  • The grant shall be given based on the appraisal of applications and recommendation by the Expert Advisory Committee and thereafter administrative approval and financial concurrence of competent authorities in the Ministry of Culture. On approval of the project proposal, the Ministry will upload the Minutes of the meeting. Thereafter, the grant will be released to these organizations through NEZCC,Dimapur, the designated Central Nodal Agency (CNA) for release of grant under the scheme.
  • The Grants will be released in two equal instalments. First instalment will be released with the approval of the project. The second instalment will be released on completion of project and on receipt of duly audited statement of accounts showing the utilization alongwith Annexure-I and Annexure-II of the entire amount of grant plus the share of the grantee/concerned State/U.T. Government and other documents. The release of the balance of grant will be decided on the basis of the actual expenditure incurred on the project subject to the maximum limit.
  • An organization in receipt of financial assistance under the scheme shall be open to inspection by an officer of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India or the State Government concerned.
  • The accounts of the project shall be maintained properly and separately and submitted to the Government of India as and when required and will be subject to check by an officer of the Central Government or the State Government or by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at his discretion.
  • The grantee shall maintain : -
    • Subsidiary accounts of the grants-in-aid received from the Government.
    • Cash book Register in hand written bound books duly machine numbered.
    • Grant-in-aid Register for the grant received from the Government and other agencies.
    • Separate ledgers for each item of expenditure like construction of civil work, etc.
  • The organization shall maintain a record of all assets acquired wholly or substantially out of the Central Government grant and shall not dispose of or encumber or utilize for purposes other than those for which the grant was given without prior approval of the Government of India.
  • If at any time, the Government of India has reason to believe that the sanctioned money is not being utilized for approved purposes, the payment of grant may be stopped and the earlier grants recovered.
  • The organization must exercise reasonable economy in the working of the approved project.
  • The grantee organization shall submit UC in GFR 12-A with Annexure-I and Annexure-II with their matching shares to NEZCC,Dimapur.
  • The grantee shall submit one Copy (soft copy as well as hard copy) of the Project Report duly bound/PD/Photographs and also upload the same on youtube and NEZCC, Dimapur and one copy to the State Government where the project has been undertaken.
  • Applications of the organisations against which previous grant/ Utilisation certificate is pending will not be considered.

6. Mode of Payment

All payment will be made through electronic transfers by the CNA i.e NEZCC, Dimapur of Himalayan Scheme. CNA will release the fund to NGOs in their zero balance subsidiary account.

7. Outcome of the Scheme

A Performance-cum-achievement Report on the activity undertaken will be submitted duly bound, at the time of seeking final instalment to NEZCC, Dimapur. It should include, interalia, an Executive Summary of the Project Report, no. of beneficiary, location of project, etc as per the following format:

Performance-cum-achievement Report

Project Title : ______________

i.

Name, address, Tel/Fax of the organization/Research Scholar

 
ii. Sanction No. and date  
iii. Total grant sanctioned/total expenditure incurred  
iv. Location of the Project  
v. No. of beneficiaries  
vi. Performance-cum-Achievement  
vii. How it will help to promote, protect and preserve the cultural heritage of the Himalayan region  
viii. Any other point  

8. Incomplete applications

Incomplete applications not supported by the required documents and applications received without recommendation of the prescribed authority will not be considered and summarily rejected.

9. Special Provision

The Expert Advisory Committee on the scheme is empowered to recommend or reject any proposal received without or with the recommendation of State Government/U.T. administration/ Local Administration and also to recommend the amount beyond the maximum limit but not exceeding Rs.30.00 lacs from this scheme, in respect of any proposal which is of outstanding merit for which the EAC feels that the maximum limit would not be sufficient for undertaking the said project, with the approval of Minister (Culture) and concurrence of AS & FA, Ministry of Culture.

10. Inspection and Monitoring

Inspection would be carried out by Ministry officials every year at least in 5% of the cases. The concerned State Govt., District Collector/Dy. Commissioner will also monitor.

11. Penalties in case of misutilisation of Grants

The members of the executive body of the organisation would be liable for recovery of misused grants. The organisation will also be blacklisted for misuse of funds, fake registration certificate, etc. All immovable assets created from the Government grants would be taken over by local administration prescribed by the Ministry of Culture.

12. Application Form

  • Financial Assistance for Preservation and Development of Cultural Heriatge of the Himalayas- Forms PDF file that opens in new window. To know how to open PDF file refer Help section located at bottom of the site. (43 KB)