Financial Assistance To Cultural Organizations With National Presence

About Financial Assistance To Cultural Organizations With National Presence

The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, runs “Financial Assistance to Cultural Organizations with National Presence” to help such organizations meet the costs of running cultural programmes/festivals. Mode and Conditions for Release of Grant:

1. Grants follow appraisal of applications/proposals by the Expert Advisory Committee, followed by clearance from the administrative authority within the Ministry of Culture. 1. The grant is paid in two installments (75% and 25%): the first on project approval, and the second on receipt of a Utilization Certificate in the proper format (per GFR-19), a duly audited statement of accounts (certified by a Chartered Accountant) showing use of the entire grant plus the grantee’s share, and other required documents. Release of the remaining amount depends on actual expenditure incurred, up to the sanctioned ceiling. 1. Any organization receiving assistance under the scheme must allow inspection by an officer/representative authorized by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, or the concerned State Government. 1. Project accounts must be maintained properly and separately, submitted to the Government of India whenever required, and are subject to check by a Central or State Government officer, or by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at his discretion. 1. The organization must submit a detailed expenditure break-up for Maintenance (staff salary, office expenses, miscellaneous expenses) and for Construction/Repairs/Extension/Restoration/Renovation of buildings belonging to the institute/organization/culture body focused on art and culture promotion. 1. The organization must keep a record of all assets acquired wholly or largely from the Central Government grant, and cannot dispose of, encumber, or repurpose them without prior written Government of India approval. 1. If the Government of India has reason to believe sanctioned funds are not being used for approved purposes, it may halt further grant payments and recover earlier grants. 1. The organization must exercise reasonable economy while running the approved project. 1. The grantee organization must send the Ministry of Culture a quarterly progress report detailing both physical achievements and expenditure against each approved item separately. 1. Applications will not be considered while a previous grant/Utilization Certificate remains pending. 1. Organizations must hold at least 2 activities (function, lecture, seminar, workshop, exhibition, etc.) at schools in their vicinity; a certificate to this effect from the school Principal is mandatory for releasing the 2nd installment. 1. The grantee must maintain:

• Subsidiary accounts for grant-in-aid received from Government
• A hand-written, machine-numbered, bound Cash Book Register
• A Grant-in-aid Register for funds received from Government and other agencies
• Separate ledgers for each expenditure item, such as hostel building construction, etc.

Accounting Procedures: Separate accounts must be kept for grants released by the Central Government.

1. The grantee organization’s accounts are open to audit at any time by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India or his nominee, at his discretion. 1. The grantee organization must submit to the Government of India a Chartered-Accountant-audited Statement of Accounts detailing expenditure on the approved project and the preceding year’s utilization of the Government grant. Missing the prescribed deadline for the Utilization Certificate obliges the grantee to immediately refund the entire grant received, with interest at the Government of India’s prevailing borrowing rate, unless specifically exempted by the Government. 1. The Government of India, Ministry of Culture, may review the grantee organization by appointing a committee or through any other means it deems necessary. 1. The grantee organization must not invite foreign delegations connected with events supported under this scheme without Ministry of External Affairs permission, applied for through the Ministry of Culture. 1. It remains subject to any other conditions the Government may impose from time to time.