Scheme of Financial Assistance to Voluntary Organisations for the Promotion of Hindi

Introduction

In the First 5 Year Plan, the Government of India introduced a scheme for giving financial assistance to Voluntary Hindi Organizations for propagation and development of Hindi. The scheme was carried over to the Second Five Year Plan and till then this scheme is continued. The scheme has proved to be very useful and it not only enlists co-operation but also helps those engaged in the propagation of Hindi.

Scope

Under this scheme, financial assistance may be given to the Organizations/Educational Institutions to continue and/or to expand their activities or tread fresh ground in the propagation and development of Hindi. Such activities may relate to anyone or more of the following purposes: -

1. Promotional and Developmental Activities for Hindi: -

• Running Hindi teaching classes for non-Hindi-speaking people.
• Training and appointment of Hindi teachers and pracharaks in non-Hindi-speaking areas.
• Setting up and running libraries and reading rooms with Hindi books and Hindi periodicals in non-Hindi-speaking areas.
• Purchase of print and unprint material for propagation of Hindi in non-Hindi-speaking areas, such as books, recorded cassettes and audio-visual aids.
• Organizing lectures of prominent Hindi scholars, Hindi elocution contests, Hindi dramas, Hindi Essay competitions etc. in non-Hindi-speaking areas.
• Preparation and publication of Hindi books and such other material for teaching Hindi in non-Hindi-speaking areas.
• To help maintaining institutions of all-India character.
• Preparation and publication of Hindi journals and magazines.
• Instituting prizes/awards for students, with other than Hindi as mother tongue for showing brilliancy in Hindi.
• Organizing recognized purposeful conferences ,seminars, Kavi-Sammelans, Shivirs and Book-exhibitions etc. in non-Hindi-speaking areas.
• To provide assistance to Hindi-medium schools in non-Hindi-speaking areas.
• For achieving the objective of article 351 of Indian Constitution, publication of research papers or works recognized in Hindi and/or providing solution to the problem of implementation of the Rajbhasha Act and Rules.
• To undertake such other activities which may be deemed as helpful for the enrichment, development promotion and propagation of Hindi.

2. Conditions For Grants

The Grants sanctioned to organizations/Institutions for Promotional and Developmental Activities for Hindi shall be subject to the following conditions: -

• An organization in receipt of financial assistance shall be open to inspection by an Officer of the Central/State Government or an Officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department. Where the grants given by the Central Government are more than Rs. 25,000/- physical inspection of the organization may necessarily be made.
• An organization shall have to give an undertaking before the drawal of the grant that the work to be undertaken with the assistance will be completed within a reasonable time to be fixed by Government and that the grant shall only be utilized for the purpose for which it has been sanctioned and failing which the organization shall be held liable to refund the Government the grant in full with such interest thereon as the Central Government may decide.
• Properties of the organization receiving grant from the Central Government should not be transferred to any person/Institution/organization without the concurrence of the Government of India. Should the organization cease to exist at any time, property built or equipment purchased out of the Central Government grant will revert to the Government of India.
• The organization will maintain the prescribed proforma for an audited record of the assets acquired or created wholly or substantially with the help of grant from the Central Government and furnish a copy thereof to the Central Hindi Directorate for record by a specified date or within a reasonable time. Assets; so created, should not, without the prior approval of the Government of India, be disposed of, encumbered or utilized for purposes other than those for which the grant is given.
• The accounts of the organization should be maintained properly and submitted as and when required; these shall always be open to a check by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at his discretion.
• When the Government of India/State Government have reason to believe that the affairs of the organization are not being properly managed, or that the sanctioned money is not being utilized for approved purposes, the payment of the grant may be stopped.
• The organization must be open to all citizens of India without any distinction of caste, creed or race. No capitation or any other fee should be charged from people belonging to a State other than the one in which the organization is situated.
• It will be binding on the organization to follow the directions and suggestions given by the Government of India with regard to the work for which the grant has been sanctioned. The organization shall supply the Central Hindi Directorate with, any information or clarification on any point which the Government of India may require within a time specified by it.

3. Building Construction Activities

Under the scheme grant may also be considered to VHOs for building construction, activities such as construction of building (s), expansion of building (s), repair/renovation of building (s) or buying building (s) in rare or exceptional circumstances.

The grants for Building Construction Activities shall be subject to the following conditions: -

• Each proposal for building grant will first be inspected by a three member central team comprising of CHD officials, members of the GIAC. It would be ensured that a representative of the Ministry is also a member of the inspecting team.
• The building grant shall be considered only in respect of those VHOs which are located in non-Hindi-speaking areas and the building for which grant has been sought will also be located in a non-Hindi-speaking areas. Prior to placing the proposal in GIAC, the legal status of the organization, its composition and the work done by it in the past shall be ascertained by CHD. It will also be found out whether there is clear title of land in the name of the applicant organization.
• The organization shall have to submit, in advance, its execution plan, implementing agency etc, before the proposal is considered by CHD/GIAC.
• No grant can be considered under this scheme for purchase of land.
• Only those proposals related to building grant shall be considered which are duly forwarded by the concerned State Government. The cost estimates furnished by the applicant organization for building construction shall, invariably, be vetted by the competent authority of CPWD/PWD.
• In case the VHOs folds up its activities any time before or after the completion of the building, it shall pay back the entire amount of the grant to the Govt., with interest thereon. In case of default of any. nature on the part of VHOs, the property, created with the full or partial grant under this scheme, shall be taken over by the CHD/Govt. of India.
• The Grantee organization shall execute a surety bond by two sureties on stamp paper of appropriate value and duly attested by a Notary Public.
• The building grant shall be released in Instalments in the following manner: -
  • The first Instalment of the grant shall consist of an amount of 40% of the grant amount or Rs. 20 lakh, whichever is less.
  • The second Instalment of 40% of the grant or Rs. 20 lakh, whichever is less, shall be released only after ascertaining the progress of construction and submission of the audited accounts of at least 75% of the grant of the. First Instalment by the grantee organization.
  • The final Instalment will be released only after submission of the completion certificate of the building from the Executive Engineer or the Superintending Engineer of CPWD/PWD along with the audited accounts with regard to the Instalments of the grant released earlier.
• All the proposals related to building grant shall be considered solely on merit. In no case, shall these be treated as a routine matter. Only the really deserving cases shall be considered for building grant.
• The CHD, Ministry of HRD will reserve with itself the right to inspect the construction work at any stage and stop further release of Instalments, if the progress is not found to be satisfactory or if it is found at any time that funds released have been utilized for any other purpose. The organization shall also be open to inspection by the representatives of the Central or State Government.
• The grants-in- Aid committee to consider for grant for building construction will be chaired by Additional Secretary (Education). However, the routine GIAC will be chaired by Joint secretary (Languages).

Extent Of Help

All requests for financial assistance shall be considered on merit and grants shall be sanctioned for approved items of expenditure only. The grants sanctioned shall not exceed 75% of the total approved expenditure for Promotional and Developmental Activities for Hindi as well as Building Construction Activities. However, the grant for Building Construction Activities will be considered for release in the following manner: -

• In the case of construction/major repairs of buildings of VHOs, the grant shall not exceed Rs. 5.00 lakh or 75% of the total approved expenditure. Whichever is less. Only those VHOs which have done outstanding service for promotion of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking areas, and have been in active operational existence for the last 10 years, will be eligible for consideration for this purpose. The approval of Secretary (H.E.) on the recommendations of GIAC and the concurrence of IFD would be required prior to release of any funds to a VHO under this clause.
• Grant ranging between Rs. 5.00 lakh and Rs. 20.00 lakh or 75% of the total approved expenditure, whichever is less, may be considered for the purpose of building construction only to those VHOs which have rendered outstanding service in the field of promotion of Hindi in non-Hindi-speaking areas and have been in active operational existence for not less than 20 years. The approval of the Minister of Human Resource Development on the recommendations of GIAC and the concurrence of IFD will be required prior to the release of any grant to a VHO under this clause.
• Grant ranging between Rs. 20.00 lakh and Rs. 50.00 lakh or 75% of the total approved expenditure, whichever is less, may be considered in special circumstances for building construction to only those VHOs which have been rendering meritorious service of an all-India character in the field of promotion and development of Hindi in non-Hindi-speaking areas and have been in very active operational existence for more than 30 years. The approval of Minister of Human Resource Development on the recommendations of GIAC and the concurrence of IFD will be required prior to release of any grant to a VHOs under this clause.
• Under extremely exceptional circumstances to be recorded in writing, grant ranging between Rs. 50.00 lakh and Rs. 100.00 lakh may be considered only to those VHOs which have an outstanding reputation for extraordinary work in the promotion of Hindi in non-Hindi-speaking areas and have been in very active operational existence for over 50 years. The approval of Minister of Human Resources Development on the recommendations of GIAC and the concurrence of IFD will be required prior to release of any grant to VHOs under this clauses

4. Procedure For Submission Of Applications:

Separate applications should be submitted in respect of proposals each for Promotional and Developmental Activities for Hindi and for Building Construction Activities.

All requests for financial assistance for Promotional and Developmental Activities for Hindi shall be sent on the prescribed proforma to the Deputy Director (Language) of the concerned Regional Office of the Central Hindi Directorate located one each at Guwahati, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad. The Deputy Director (Language) of the concerned Regional Office of the Central Hindi Directorate will scrutinize the applications and place the proposals for consideration of the State-Level committees constituted for the purpose and forward the applications alongwith the recommendations of the State-Level-Committees to the Central Hindi Directorate for placing the same before G.I.A.C (Hindi) for final decision. Request for grants from organizations of All-India Character may be received directly by the Central Government, if necessary. The applications from the organizations located in the areas which do not fall under the jurisdiction of any of the Regional Offices will be received directly through the Director, Central Hindi Directorate, New Delhi. The Directorate shall scrutinize and put up these applications before the GIAC for consideration alongwith the recommendations of the State-Level Committees. The applications of the VHOs for Building Construction Activities may also be submitted to the concerned Regional Office of Central Hindi Directorate on the prescribed proforma for consideration. Such applications must necessarily be routed through the State Government only.

The Deputy Director (Language) of the concerned Regional Office/ State Government as the case may be, shall scrutinize the request of the organization And in making its recommendations shall indicate that: -

• The organization is of the established competence and ability.
• The scheme recommended will enrich/propagate/promote Hindi (please give details);
• The estimates have been checked and found reasonable;
• The specific amount which they recommended to the Central Government for giving to the organization/Institution; and -
• Any other useful information which they may like to supply on the application of the organization/Institution.

Before recommending an application the Deputy Director (Language) of the concerned Regional Office of the Central Hindi Directorate/State Government, as the case may be, should satisfy themselves about the bonafides of the organization etc. and the usefulness and necessity of the work for which grant has been asked for.

Each application should be submitted in the prescribed form and accompanied by the following information and documents: -

• A brief description of the objects and activities of the organization.
• Whether the organization is a registered one.
• The constitution of the Board of Management.
• The latest available annual report.
• A copy of the audited accounts of the organization for the last 3 financial years and a copy of the last balance sheet. Estimates of Income and Expenditure in respect of the year for which the grant applied for should be given.
• A statement of grants received so far from the State Government or other bodies indicating in each case (a) the purpose for which the grant was obtained (b) how and when utilized (c) progress made in the direction for which assistance was given, and (d) Whether all conditions attached to previous assistance were duly observed.
• Information relating to the request made, if any, to other bodies for grants for the scheme under consideration. The decision of those bodies on such request should be communicated to the Deputy Director (Language) of the concerned Regional Office of Central Hindi Directorate/Central Hindi Directorate.
• An undertaking that once the estimates etc. of a scheme have been approved as reasonable and the grant assessed on the basis of these estimates, they shall not be modified by the organization without the prior approval of the Central/State Government.

All applications in duplicate with full details should be submitted to the Deputy Director (Language) of the concerned Regional Office of the Central Hindi Directorate latest by 31st January for consideration for the next financial year.

Financial Assistance Scheme for publication in Hindi

1. Introduction

The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of higher Education, has been administering the following scheme since the Seventh Five Year Plan (1985 - 1990) for providing limited financial assistance to individuals and voluntary organisations for publication of books etc. as one of the modalities for the promotion of languages. The scheme was subsequently, decentralised during the year 1994 - 95 and its Hindi part was transferred to the Central Hindi Directorate vide Ministry of Human Resource Development Letter No. F. 17-1/94 - D.I (L) Dated 15.6.1994. The Directorate has been implementing this scheme ever since that time.

2. Operation Criteria

• The scheme is in operation under the exclusive heads of account for Hindi,
• Hindi (including Avadhi, Bhojpuri, Dogri, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Magadhi, Maithali, Rajasthani, Braj etc.).

3. Extent Of Assistance

• The financial assistance sanctioned under the scheme shall not exceed 80% (eighty percent) of the total approved expenditure for the publication, in question, and 100% for Description catalogues of rare manuscripts. For this purpose, a print order limited to 500 copies is assumed for Descriptive catalogues, and 1100 copies for other publications.
• Such expenditure may provide (whereas no permanent establishments exists) for honorarium for the author/editor/translator/preparation of manuscripts (including calligraphy/typing), cost of paper, proof - reading and vetting, printing and binding, building rent, travel expenses etc.)shall not be admissible.
• Assistance shall not be considered for meeting previous liabilities or debts as such, or does not cover a prospective budget deficit or shortfall in the grant-in-aid admissible from Government source.
• Any decision in regard to approved expenditure shall totally rests with the Directorate.
• The total approved estimate of expenditure shall, first, be reduced by the quantum of assistance approved/paid for the project from any other sources of public funds such as another department of the Central Govt./ a state Govt./ a local public authority/a Quasi - Govt./ autonomous body of the Centre or of a state, before deciding the amount of assistance to be provided under the scheme.
• The requests, which qualify under the scheme, shall be considered on merit taking into account the recommendations of the Grants Committee for Hindi provided the Chairman of the Committee shall be competent to approve a fresh grant in appropriate/urgent cases in consultation with the Controller of Accounts attached to the Ministry, subject to the reporting of such decision (s) in the next meeting of the grant - in - Aid Committee.

4. Scope Of Assistance

The following kinds of publication shall qualify for consideration under the scheme: -

• Books of reference like encyclopedias, books of knowledge, anthologies and compilations, bibliographies and dictionaries. In the case of dictionaries (which could be in one or more languages) in the base language of the dictionary i.e., Hindi.
• Descriptive catalogues of rare manuscripts in such format as may be prescribed by the Government with a print order not exceeding 500 copies.
• Self - instructors for various languages, base language being Hindi.
• Original writings in Hindi on linguistic, Literary (excluding fiction, drama, poetry and thesises) Ideological, social, anthropological and cultural themes.
• Critical editions and/ or publications of Old Hindi manuscripts.
• Translation and publication in Hindi of books from other languages on themes listed in (4) above.
• Transliteration and publication of Classics from any other Indian languages into Devanāgarī (Hindi) with Hindi translations;
• Reprint/revised editions of rare books published more than 30 years ago and remaining out of print.
• Any other kind of publication as may individually accepted as conducive to the promotion of Hindi.

5. Eligibility

• Voluntary Organisations/Societies/Charitable Trusts which are registered under the relevant Central or a state Act prevalent for the time being, as well as individuals, who are authors, editor, translators or those who intent to publish the book in question, and hold the copyright thereof (excluding commercial publishers) shall be eligible to apply for assistance.

Provided that the applicant organization is registered/incorporated or functions in a manner that profits of any kind arising from its activities are distributed among its members or shareholders in the form of bonus or dividend.

• The academies and organisations set up, registered and funded by the Government for the purpose for promotion of languages shall also be eligible to apply for their Hindi publications. Likewise, the universities shall be eligible to apply (through the State Government in the case of state universities, and through the Universities Grants Commission in the case of Central Universities) in respect of projects which have not been fully funded by the State Government concerned or by the University Grants Commission.
• The Government may, after obtaining such advice as necessary, commission individual scholars, universities and registered voluntary organisations, to undertake the production of literature provisions of the scheme.

6. Submission of Application

• The application for financial assistance for publications in Hindi shall be submitted to the Director, Central Hindi Directorate, (Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education), West Block No. VII, R.K. Puram, New Delhi - 110066 in the prescribed proforma for publication, individually in respect of each book.
• The application shall be submitted in duplicate accompanied by the documents indicated in the relevant proforma.
• Where the proposal involves a publication/reprint/revised edition two copies of the manuscript/old edition should be sent with the application, ensuring that the applicant retains the master copy with himself. Also, a descriptive should be sent, besides a project Report indicating the title, theme-content and the positional value of the proposal publication in the field to which it relates, the professional competence, the financial and establishment support available for the proposal etc.
• The application may be submitted any time for consideration at appropriate stages, subject to availability of funds and administrative convenience.

7. Conditions Of Grant

• The grantee shall execute a BOND on a stamp paper of Rs. 10/- (in the attached proforma) prior to the drawal of the sanctioned grant, to the effect that the work to be undertaken with the grant shall be completed within a reasonable time not extending beyond a year from the date or releasing the amount of first installment or the deadline as may be extended by the Government on the grantee's prior request, and the grant be utilized only for the purpose for which it is sanctioned. Failure to do so will render the individual/organisation liable to refund to the Government the grant released in full, with 6% interest thereon or as the Government may decide. There shall be no bond in the case of purchase of copies of books.
• In the case of purchase of copies of books, the payment due shall be sanctioned in a single instalment on receipt of the bill after the relevant process is completed, as detailed in Para. 8.3 and 8.4 here below.
• in the case of publication, the approved grant shall be released in suitable instalments as decided by the Government depending on the nature and progress of the publication, and in no case, shall be released in a single installment.
• It shall be open to the Government to issue from time to time to the grants such suggestions/directions on the format and contents of the approved publication as found necessary, and it shall be binding on the grantee to comply with the same. In the case of critical editions of manuscripts such instructions may cover notes, comparable/indices, biographical note on the author etc.
• The release of the final installment (being not less than one-third of the total approved grant) shall be considered only after receipt of the following material from the grantee: -
  • The accounts in respect of the total expenditure on the completion of the publication as certified by a Chartered Accountant, (and in the case of the universities, certified together by the Finance/Audit Officer and the Registrar);
  • The utilization certificate in respect of the whole of the approved expenditure as certified by the name Chartered Accountant counter signed by the grantee.
  • The report of satisfactory completion of the project duly signed by the grantee with his seal if any; and
  • Thirty complimentary copies of the book, as finally published.
• The listed price of the book/publication brought out with assistance under the scheme shall be determined with prior approval of the Government of India.
• Once the estimates etc. of the publication have been approved as reasonable and the grant determined on the basis of such estimates, they shall not be modified by the applicant without the prior approval of the Government of India.
• No. assets, created out of the grant paid by the Government shall be transferred to any person/Institution without the concurrence of Government of India. Should, at any time, the grantee organisation/institution cease to exit, the equipment purchased out of the Government grant shall revert to the Government.
• The accounts of the individual/organisation/institution will be properly maintained and submitted and shall be open to check by a representative of the Government of India or the State/U.T. Government, as and when required.
• If the Central or the state/U.T. Government has reason to believe that the affairs of the organisation/Institution are not being properly managed, or that the sanctioned money had not been utilized for the payment of further installment of grant, and also recover from the grantee such money as the Government may decide, in relation to the sanctioned grant.
• The applicant will exercise utmost economy in his/its working, especially in respect of expenditure out of the Government grant.
• Progress reports on the project/scheme will be furnished at regular intervals of 3 months.
• If the grant released exceed 80% of the actual expenditure on approved items after deducting the state Government grant, if any, from the total actual expenditure, the difference shall be refunded to the Government of India.
• The title page of each of the publication should bear the following entries: - 'Published with financial assistance from the Government of India, Central Hindi Directorate, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Department of Higher Education vide sanction letter No. _____________________________ Dated_____________________ 'Copyright vests with the grantee'

Grants- Application Form

• Application Form PART – I 
• Application Form PART – II
• Application Form PART III
• Financial Year
• Financial Year-II