Scheme to Provide Financial Assistance to Registered Organizations/Government Organization/Non-Government Organizations/Institutions for Running Residential Facilities/Half Way Homes for Persons with Disabilities

Description
The scheme “Scheme to Provide Financial Assistance to Registered Organizations/Government Organizations/Non-Government Organizations/Institutions for Running Residential Facilities/Halfway Homes for Persons with Disabilities” was launched by the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of Goa. The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to registered organizations, Government organizations, and institutions for running residential facilities or halfway homes for Persons with Disabilities. The scheme provides financial support in the form of operational grants to offer shelter, basic food, and medical facilities, thereby facilitating healthy, hygienic, and better living conditions for this section of society.

Exclusions
• Non-submission of the Utilization Certificate and Audited Statement of Accounts within the stipulated period (within six months from the date of release of grants) acts as a disqualification for obtaining subsequent grants in aid from the Government.
• Violation of the terms and conditions stipulated in the scheme also acts as a disqualification for obtaining subsequent grants in aid from the Government.

Benefits
• Maximum operational grant of ₹4,00,000/- per month.
• Payment to Medical Officer/Councilor/Therapist: ₹60,000/- per month.
• Payment to team of Administrative Staff (Manager, Clerk, and six Attendants/Care takers/Aayas/Drivers): ₹1,34,000/- per month.
• Administrative Expenses (Rent/Maintenance/Electricity/Water/Telephone, Mobile, Newspaper, etc.): ₹46,000/- per month.
• Food Expenses (₹200/- per 20 inmates): ₹1,20,000/- per month.
• Medical Expenses: ₹40,000/- per month.
• An additional one-time grant of ₹50,000/- (Rupees Fifty thousand only) shall be sanctioned for the purchase of furniture, utensils, etc.
• Mode of Grant: The operational grant is provided on a reimbursement basis.
• Share of Cost: Based on the claim made by the grantee organization, 75% will be refunded by the department.
• Frequency: The operational grant will be released in two installments in a year.
• Installment Period: The six months period for calculating the installment will be reckoned from the month in which the sanction was issued.
• Documentation: The maximum operational grant of ₹4,00,000/- per month will be sanctioned only on the production of supporting documents such as bills, vouchers, and receipts.
• Second Installment Condition: The second installment will be released only upon submission of a Utilization Certificate as per FORM-12A of General Financial Rules Rule 2017.
• One-time Grant Condition: The one-time grant of ₹50,000/- is sanctioned once in five years after following Codal formalities and Rules in force of the Government of Goa.
• The grantee institution shall maintain separate accounts of the Grants received under the Scheme.
• The accounts shall always be open to a system of internal audit or concurrent audit.
• The accounts shall also be open to Audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
• The grantee institution shall maintain the stock register of the expenditure incurred out of Government grants received under this scheme.
• The grantee institution must maintain a separate register regarding the grants sanctioned, and an extract from this register shall be furnished to the Government annually with the Annual audited statements of accounts after the close of the financial year.
• The account of the Grantee Institution/Government Bodies/Organization in respect of this grant should be audited by an approved Auditor/Chartered Accountant immediately after the end of the financial year for which the grant is sanctioned.
• The accounts of the grants shall be maintained separately and properly from the institution's normal activities.
• The Audited statement of accounts showing the expenditure incurred by the Grantee Institution/Organization from the grants should be furnished to the Government as soon as possible after the close of the financial year.
• A certificate must be furnished from the Chartered Accountant/auditor confirming that the grant was utilized for the purpose for which it was sanctioned.
• The Grantee Institution must exercise reasonable economy and observe all financial rules issued by the Government from time to time while incurring the expenditure.
• No grant shall be allowed to be paid to any other institutions or voluntary organizations by the Grantee Institution/Organization out of this grant sanctioned by the Government.

Eligibility Criteria
1. - The applicant must be a registered voluntary organization, Non-Governmental Organization, Government Organization, or Institution.
2. - The applicant must be engaged in the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
3. - The applying Organization must bear 25% of the cost proposed.
4. - The grantee Institution should be capable of mobilizing the community towards the cause.
5. - The grantee Institution should be capable of effective networking with other institutions for optimum utilization of allocated resources.
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7. ##### ***Conditions Applicable ONLY to Non-Government Organizations/Institutions (Government Organizations are exempted from these)***
8. - The grantee institution must be registered as per Section 50 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and its further amendments.
9. - The Organization must have a minimum of 20 inmates at the time of applying for the scheme.
10. - The grantee institution must have at least one year of field experience in the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
11. - The grantee institution must maintain financial viability to independently sustain the operation of residential facilities or halfway homes for a minimum period of three months in the event of delays in the release of operational grants or scheme discontinuation.
12. - The grantee institution must have a good reputation and credibility with no cases of criminal offence registered against the said organization/institution.
13. - The grantee institution/organization must have accessible physical and digital infrastructure.
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Application Process
Step 1: Step 1: The interested applicant should take a printout of the prescribed format of the application form.
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Step 1: The interested applicant should take a printout of the prescribed format of the application form.

Step 2: Step 2: In the application form, fill in all the mandatory fields, paste the passport-sized photograph (signed across, if required), and attach copies of all the mandatory documents (self-attest, if required).
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Step 2: In the application form, fill in all the mandatory fields, paste the passport-sized photograph (signed across, if required), and attach copies of all the mandatory documents (self-attest, if required).

Step 3: Step 3: Submit the duly filled and signed application form along with the documents to - The Director of the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Building 'B', New Market Complex, 3rd Floor, Porvorim, Goa - 403 501.
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The grantee institution shall be open for inspection by the Assistant Director or any officers deputed by the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
Following this, an inspection report shall be submitted by the concerned officer.
The application shall be reviewed and sanctioned by the Sanctioning Committee.
First Installment
The assistance amount shall be drawn from the Directorate of Accounts upon presentation of the bill in the prescribed form. This bill must be duly countersigned by the Director/Drawing and Disbursing Officer of the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
The operational grant will be released on a reimbursement basis, with the six-month period reckoned from the month the sanction was issued.
Second Installment (and Subsequent Grants)
For the release of the second installment (and subsequent grants), the grantee institution must submit the Utilization Certificate as per FORM-12A of General Financial Rules Rule 2017.
The Audited Statement of Accounts and the Chartered Accountant’s/auditor's certificate confirming fund utilization must also be furnished annually after the close of the financial year.

Required Documents
• Report Of Last One Year Of Field Experience In Working For Empowerment Of Persons With Disabilities (Not applicable for Government Organizations).
• Copy Of Certificate Of Registration As Per Section 50 Of The Rights Of Persons With Disabilities Act, 2016 (Not applicable for Government Organizations).
• A Statement Containing The Annual Statement Of Accounts, Audited Statements Of Accounts And The Receipt And Payment Of The Organization/Institution For The Last One Year (These should be Audited by a Chartered Accountant/Auditor).
• List Of Inmates In Annexure-II.
• Details Of Basic Amenities And Services Provided For The Inmates.
• An Affidavit Sworn In By The President Of The Non-Government Organization Before The Executive Magistrate/Notary (Stating that similar financial assistance implemented by another department has not been availed) (Not applicable for Government Organizations).
• Copy Of The Bank Pass Book.
• Details Of Staff Employed By The Institution (Annexure-III).
• Details Of Services Provided By The Organization (To be enclosed).
• Supporting Documents Such As Bill, Vouchers, Receipts, Etc. (Required for reimbursement of actual expenditure).
• Utilization Certificate As Per FORM-12A Of General Financial Rules Rule 2017 (Required for release of the second installment).
• Audited Statement Of Accounts And Certificate From The Chartered Accountant/Auditor (To be furnished after the close of the financial year).

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you need to provide a report showing how grant money was spent for the grant to continue?
A: The organization must submit a detailed report showing the expenditure of the grant, utilizing supporting documents such as bills, vouchers, and receipts for reimbursement of the actual costs.
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Q: What specific types of infrastructure, both physical and technological, are expected of the grantee institution/organization when operating residential facilities?
A: The grantee institution or organization must ensure that they maintain accessible physical infrastructure, as well as accessible digital infrastructure, for the benefit of the residents.
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Q: What is the specific timeframe within which the Utilization Certificate and Audited Statement of Accounts must be submitted to avoid disqualification for future assistance?
A: The Organization must submit the Utilization Certificate and Audited Statement of Accounts within a stipulated period of six months from the date the previous grant was released.
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Q: Besides the failure to submit necessary financial documents, what other actions or failures could result in the organization being disqualified from receiving future grants?
A: Any violation of the terms and conditions explicitly stipulated within the scheme framework would also lead to disqualification for obtaining subsequent grants in aid from the Government.
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Q: Is registration under a specific piece of legislation mandatory for Non-Governmental Organizations seeking to receive this operational grant?
A: Yes, the grantee institution must be registered according to Section 50 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, including any subsequent amendments to that Act.
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Q: How are the maximum recurring costs, such as the total operational grant of ₹4,00,000/- (Rupees Four Lakh only) per month, actually disbursed to the grantee organization?
A: The maximum operational grants are sanctioned on a reimbursement basis, requiring the production of supporting documents such as bills, vouchers, and receipts to verify the actual expenditure.
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Q: What minimum financial contribution or percentage share of the proposed operational cost must the applying organization commit to bear?
A: The applying Organization is required to bear 25% of the total cost proposed in the application for running the residential facility or halfway home for Persons with Disabilities.
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Q: As a Non-Governmental Organization, what level of financial stability must we demonstrate to sustain operations if the grant payments are significantly delayed?
A: The grantee institution must maintain sufficient financial viability to independently sustain the operation of the residential facility for a minimum period of three months.
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Q: Do we need to maintain special records detailing the usage and inventory of items purchased using the Government grants received under this scheme?
A: Yes, the grantee institution must maintain a stock register specifically detailing the expenditure incurred out of the Government grants received under this financial assistance scheme.
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Q: Will the accounts maintained by the grantee institution regarding the scheme’s financial assistance be subject to various levels of government scrutiny?
A: Yes, the accounts must always be open to a system of internal audit, concurrent audit, and subsequent Audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
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Q: What specific activity or mission must the registered organization be actively engaged in to meet the foundational eligibility requirements?
A: The registered voluntary organization, Non-Governmental Organization, or Institution must be actively engaged in the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
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Q: Which specific types of entities are generally considered eligible to apply for and receive the financial assistance for operating residential facilities?
A: Registered voluntary organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Government Organizations, and Institutions that are engaged in the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities are eligible to apply for the scheme.
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Q: How much practical experience must a Non-Governmental Organization have in the specific field of empowering Persons with Disabilities before applying for the scheme?
A: The grantee institution must furnish proof of having at least one year of field experience working towards the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
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Q: What standard of reputation and legal standing must a Non-Governmental Organization possess to be considered eligible for the financial assistance?
A: The grantee institution must have a good reputation and credibility, ensuring that no cases of criminal offense have been registered against the said organization or institution.
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