SCHEME OF ASSISTANCE TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS WORKING IN THE FIELD OF YOUTH In the Youth, the Nation has an untapped reservoir of energy. Should not that reservoir be channelised to fruitful action? The national plan of development encompassing all fields of activity and sectors of populations give ample scope for the efforts of the youth to be directed. This scheme has been enhanced to proved a framework for Voluntary Organisations to involve youth for developmental activities specially in the rural areas. Objective and Programme Activities 2. The scheme of assistance to voluntary organisation working in the (A) Involvement of Youth on a full time basis for undertaking any one or more of the following activities (i) Programmes of rural development, including education and Mass Programme of Functional Literacy (MPFL). (ii) Developmental and educational activities in urban slums including MPFL. (iii) Promotion of plastic, graphic and folk arts and mass media; youth groups may be appointed if they are striving to create innovative forms of artistic and cultural media or if they are attempting to use them to bring about social change. (iv) Exploratory measures and training programmes for any of the activities referred at (i) to (iii) above. (B) Larger Involvement of voluntary agencies in the implementation of youth programmes Such programmes may include one or more of the following (i) To impart training in skills to non-student youth with a view to improving their functional capabilities so that they may be in a position to take up full-time employment, self-employment or subsidiary employment. This training may generally be given on a non-formal basis for a duration not exceeding one year. Short duration courses may be encouraged. Sandwich courses may also be taken up. (ii) Youth leadership training or training of young persons who can act as catalysts to bring about social change. The training should : (a) help to develop amongst the participants a critical awareness of their environment; (b) inculcate a capacity to identify problems and to generate an understanding regarding the ways in which these problems can be overcome in a manner that engenders a spirit of self-reliance; (c) impart occupational training in order to improves the functional capabilities of youth and to encourage their participation in developmental programmes; (d) encourage the youth to identify themselves with the needs and aspirations of the poor and deprived sections of the community and to work with them in situations of concrete realities in such a manner that their "leadership" does not create a social distance between them and those with whom they work; participation in the manual labour projects (Shramdan) etc. and (e) provide opportunities of community living and of work in field situations. The training is intended primarily for non-student youth with special emphasis on the poor and deprived sections of the community. The duration of the training programme may range from 7 to 30 days. Follow-up activity may also be taken up, which may be in the nature of refresher courses, providing suitable reading material and visit of trainees by organisers. (iii) Organising youth camps with a view to promoting national integration and also for taking up social service activities including promotion of communal harmony, (iv) Conducting survey and research work. (v) Publication and holding of seminars. Eligibility 3. Registered societies, public trusts and non-profit making companies would be eligible for assistance under this scheme. Ordinarily, agencies which are not legally formed would not be eligible . However, even agencies and groups which are not legal entities may be considered for assistance provided the Collector/Deputy Commissioner certifies the bonafides of such organisations. In order to be eligible for financial assistance under this Scheme, any agency or group should also have the following characteristics : (i) it should be in a position to secure the involvement of knowledgeable persons for furtherance of its programmes; (ii) it should not be run for the profit of any individual or a body of individuals; and (iii) it should not discriminate against any person or group of persons on the ground of sex, religion, caste or creed. An agency which is registered body should also have :- (i) a proper constitution or articles of association ; and (ii) a properly constituted managing body with its powers and duties clearly defined in the constitution. Note : Registered voluntary agencies may sponsor youth groups who are interested in availing of assistance under this Scheme, and are not registered as a Society. In such cases, certificate of the District Collector may not be necessary. Voluntary agencies functioning in collaboration with NSS Units should route their applications through the concerned NSS Regional Centre. Pattern of Financial Assistance 4. The eligible organisations/groups may be given financial assistance for activities mentioned in para 2 (A) and (B) as indicated below:- 2(A) (i) assistance upto 90 per cent may be given for workers on cent per cent basis. (ii) Office expenditure on 75% basis. Project expenditure on 90% basis. Note : This pattern relates to all the three categories of activities referred to in 2(A). 2(B) (i) assistance up to 90 per cent may be given for purchase of equipment and raw material and expenditure to be incurred on employment of instructors. Whenever necessary, assistance for construction of sheds may be given, such assistance should not exceed 75 per cent of the cost of construction. Wherever essential, a reasonable stipend may also be given to the trainees. (ii) Assistance may include per diem to trainees at the rate of Rs. 15. Organisational expenditure to the training agency may be given @ 25% of the total cost on per diem expenditure to be incurred on travel of the trainees by the cheapest mode of conveyance may also be given subject to a maximum of Rs. 100 per trainee. 90% assistance will be given for follow-up programmes. (iii) assistance may be given up to 90% of the total cost of the projects. (iv) assistance may be given up to 75% of the cost of projects. Provided that wherever a programme is sponsored by the Department of Youth Affairs & Sports in the Ministry of Human Resource Development including the National Service Scheme assistance up to 100 per cent may be provided. Procedure 5. A registered voluntary agency eligible to receive assistance under the scheme should make application on the form appended hereto. The application may be routed through the State Government/Union Territory Administration initially. In the case of non-registered agencies and groups, the proposal may be sponsored by the District Collector/registered voluntary organisation. In the case of all India voluntary organisations (registered societies), it is not necessary to route the application through the State Government. If, however, the programme of the All India agency is to be implemented in one State/Union Territory Administration will be necessary.l The applications for grant-in-aid would ordinarily be examined by the Grant-in-aid Committee to be appointed by the Department of Sports. Whenever the recommendation of the State Government is not received within a reasonable time, the Department may invite a representative of the State Government tot the meeting of the Grant-in-aid Committee considering the application in order that he may gibe the views of the State Government on the project. Alternatively, the Department may, where it considers necessary, request an official of the Department to visit the agency and may also a representative of the State Government to associate himself with the visit to report on the project for which assistance is sought. In the case of voluntary organisation functioning in collaboration with the NSS Units, the proposal should be routed through the concerned NSS Regional Centre. Duration 6. Assistance may be sought for a duration not exceeding the plan period during which the application is made. Indication in regard to the period for which the grant has been approved would generally be given in the letter of sanction. Conditions of Grant (i) The grant receiving agency will be required to execute a bond on a prescribed form. The bond should be supported by two sureties if the agency is not a registered society. (ii) The programmes undertaken with the assistance under the Scheme shall be open to evaluation by an officer of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Youth Affairs and Sports) or the State Education or concerned Department. (iii) The accounts of the project shall be maintained properly and separately and submitted as and when required. They shall always be open to check by an officer deputed by the Government of India or the State Government. They shall also be open to a test check by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at his discretion. (iv) The audited accounts together with utilisation certificate in the prescribed form duly countersigned by the Chartered Accountant are required to be furnished as mentioned in the sanction letter. (v) The agency shall maintain a record of all assets acquired wholly or substantially out of Government grant and maintain a register of such assets in the prescribed proforma. Such assets shall not be disposed of encumbered or utilised for purposes other than those for which the grant was given, without prior sanction of the Government of India. Should the agency cease to exist at any time, such properties shall revert to the Government of India. (vi) When the State Government/Government of India have reasons to believe that the sanctioned money is not being utilised for approved purposes the payment of grant may be stopped and the earlier grants recovered. (vii) The institution must exercise reasonable economy in the working of the approved project, especially in respect of construction of buildings. (viii) The grantee agency shall furnish to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Youth Affairs and Sports) progress reports, as may be prescribed, of the project, indicating both the physical and financial achievements. (ix) The decision of the Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Youth Affairs and Sports) on the question whether there has been breach or violation of any of the terms and conditions mentioned in the sanction letter shall be final and binding on the grantee.   Annexure Form of application