Title

The scheme will be known as Scheme of financial assistance for seminars, festivals and exhibitions on cultural subjects by not-for-profit organizations.

Scope

The scheme covers all ‘not-for-profit’ organizations, including Societies, Trusts and Universities, for supporting the seminars, research, workshops, festivals and exhibitions, etc. organized by them on different aspects of Indian Culture.  They should have been functioning and registered under the Societies Registration Act (XXI of 1860), Trusts Act, Companies Act or any Central or State Act for at least three years.    

The scheme will, however, not be applicable to such organisations or institutions as are functioning as religious institutions, or as schools/colleges.

Grant will be provided for all types of interactive fora such as conferences, seminars, workshops, symposia as also festivals and exhibitions on any subject important to the preservation or promotion of cultural heritage, arts, letters and other creative endeavors.

 Eligibility

(a)  The applicant organization that are voluntary organizations or NGOs, should, in order to qualify for the grant, have a properly constituted managing body with its powers, duties and responsibilities clearly defined and laid down in the form of a written constitution.

(b)    It must have tied up or planned the matching resources at least to the extent of   

           25 % of the project cost.

(c)   It should have facilities, resources, personnel and experience to take up the event/ project for which a grant is required.

(d)  Past experience of holding such functions, as applied for, would be given preference. 

Types of activities to be assisted and extent of assistance

Financial assistance may be given for the following purposes :

(a)    Holding of conference, seminars, workshops, symposia, festivals, exhibitions and undertaking small research projects, etc. on any art forms/important cultural matters.

(b)   To meet expenditure on activities of development nature like conduct of surveys, pilot projects, etc. on cultural subjects including publications thereof. 

Quantum of assistance:

Grant for specific projects under para 4 above shall be restricted to 75% of the expenditure, subject to a maximum of Rs.5.00 lakhs per project as recommended by the Expert Committee.

The Ministry may in exceptional circumstances, increase the assistance to any project of outstanding merit and relevance,   subject to appropriate approval.

Accounting procedures

Separate accounts shall be maintained in regard to the grants  released by the Central Government

 (a)        The Accounts of the grantee organization shall be

            open to audit at any time by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India or his nominee at his discretion.

(b)       The grantee organization shall submit to the Government of India, a Statement of Accounts audited by a Chartered Accountant, stating out the expenditure incurred on the approved project and indicating the utilization of the Government grant in the preceding years.  If the utilization certificate is not submitted within the prescribed period, the grantee shall arrange to refund immediately the whole amount of the grant received together with interest thereon at the prevailing borrowing rate of the Government of India unless specially exempted by the Government.

(c)        the grantee organization will be open to a review by the Government of India, Ministry of Culture by appointing a committee or in any other manner decided by the Government as and when deemed necessary by the Government.

(d)       The grantee organization shall not invite foreign delegation without obtaining permission from the Ministry of External Affairs, application for which shall invariably be routed through Ministry of Culture.

(e)        It will be subjected to such other conditions as may be  

            imposed by the Government from time to time.

Procedure for submission of Application

While an advertisement will be placed annually, both on the website of the Ministry as well as in the print media, applications may be made (as per prescribed procedure contained in the advertisement) at any time during the financial year.

The application should either be recommended by any of the National Akademies , any other culture-related organization under the Government of India or by concerned State Government /UT Administration, State Akademies.

Documents to be attached with the application:

(a)     Constitution of the      Organization

(b)     Constitution of the Board of Management or                 

        Governing Body and particulars of each member

(c)     Copy of the latest available Annual Report

(d)     A detailed project report including

   (i)   description of the project for which assistance is requested along with its           

            duration and the qualifications and experience of the staff to be employed for the

          project;

 (ii)    Financial statement of the project giving item wise details of recurring and non

         recurring expenditure separately, and

 (iii)   the source (s) from which counterpart funds will be obtained.

(e)    A statement of income and expenditure of the  applicant    organization for the

        previous three years and a copy of the balance sheet for the previous year

        certified by a Chartered Accountant or a Government Auditor. 

(f)    An Indemnity Bond in the prescribed Performa on a   

       stamp paper of appropriate denomination;

(g)   Details of the bank account in the prescribed proforma to

       enable electronic transfer of sanctioned funds

Instalments

The Grant will be released in two instalments of 75%(First Instalment) and 25%(Second Instalment) .

Mode of Payment

All payments will be made only through electronic transfers.

Output of the scheme

A bound report of the event will be submitted in triplicate; first copy to the Ministry, second copy to IGNCA and third to the organization that had recommended the application of the grantee organization.

Time consumed in processing the cases

Incomplete applications not supported by the required documents will be summarily rejected and returned.

• The Scheme is not meant for college/University Fests.
• The Scheme is not meant for individual applicants.