Project Assist is the Flagship scheme of the Foundation which has provision of providing assistance to the children rendered orphan or destitute in various communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence. The financial assistance is provided to such children for their care, education and training. (details of assisted children)
Assisted Children who have participated in the Flag Day Ceremony 2009
Part – A Details of the project
i) Eligibility criteria
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A child becomes an orphan or destitute in the sense that either both the parents or the surviving parent or the main bread winner is killed or permanently incapacitated because of communal, caste, ethnic, terrorist violence.
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Family is below poverty line as per the criteria laid down by the Planning Commission. The income for determining the poverty line at the 1999-2000 prices is Rs.22,400/- per family per annum in the rural areas and Rs.31,600/- per family per annum in the urban areas.
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Child is not receiving any assistance on regular basis from any other source (one time financial assistance provided by a state government /union territory administration for such victim is not considered as another source of assistance for this purpose).
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Assistance is admissible up to the age of 18 years. In exceptional cases, where the child is pursuing some vocational or technical course, it can be extended upto the age of 21 years.
ii) Identification of eligible children
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District Committee under the District Magistrate/Collector or Deputy Commissioner, having members such as Superintendent of Police, District Social Welfare Officer, District Education Officer, District Child and Women Development Officer, identifies beneficiaries and verifies their eligibility.
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District Committee decides about the mode of assistance i.e. through child's own family, relative, educational institution, legal guardian, foster parents, children's home etc.
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District Committee sends its recommendations to the Foundation in the prescribed form (Annexure- II).
iii) Scale of assistance
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General education
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In class A & B cities Rs. 800/- p.m. per child. At other places Rs. 750/- p.m. per child |
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Professional/vocational education |
Rs. 150/- per month per child in addition to assistance for general education |
iv) Sanction and remittance
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District Magistrate/Collector/ Deputy Commissioner opens a separate bank account under the name of "District Committee, National Foundation for Communal Harmony, District _____________." Account is operated jointly by any two of the officers nominated by the District Magistrate/Collector viz. District Magistrate/Collector/ Deputy Commissioner, District Social Welfare Officer or the District Treasury Officer.
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Assistance is payable in advance annually in the first quarter of the academic year. This is credited to the account of the recipient maintained in a scheduled bank after due verification. (Since assistance is being credited to the bank account of the child periodically, there is no need for identification at the time of disbursement of assistance by the District Magistrate/Collector to avoid inconvenience etc.)
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In the month of April every year, concerned District Magistrate/Collector/ Deputy Commissioner shall send a report to the Foundation about position of funds sanctioned by the National Foundation for Communal Harmony under the Project Assist during the last financial year and funds available, if any, from earlier years in the following proforma.
Position of funds for the year ending --------- |
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Details of amount received from the Foundation for payment of assistance to children |
Details of disbursement |
Reasons for non-payments of balance amount |
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Letter No. |
Date |
Amount (Rs.) |
Date of payment |
Amount paid (Rs.) |
Amount balance(Rs.) |
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v) Recommendations for continuance of assistance
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District Magistrate/Collector/ Deputy Commissioner furnishes the following certificates to justify continuation of assistance within one month of the commencement of the next academic session every year. Fresh applications are not required and should not be sent with the proposal for renewal of assistance.
a) Utilization certificate to the effect that the amount of financial assistance released till date under the Project Assist has been disbursed on ____________ (date to be mentioned) to the beneficiary;
b) the child for whom financial assistance now being recommended, is actually studying in an educational institution or is undergoing training for acquiring skills to better his/ her employment prospects. (Not applicable if the child is below 5 years of age); and
c) continuance of further financial assistance to the child beyond __________ (period to be mentioned) is considered essential and hence recommended.
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Current study certificate from the educational institution (specimen – A at Annexure II), photocopy of annual examination result card and current income certificate of the family issued by the Tehsildar (specimen – B at Annexure II). The income certificate once issued shall be valid for a period of three years. In case, any parent or guardian of the child gets a job during that period that should be declared voluntarily to the district authorities, who in turn would inform this to the Foundation immediately.
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Release of financial assistance is subject to furnishing of the above certificates/documents.
vi) Number of children getting assistance
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As on 31.03.2010, 10431children were covered under Project Assist in nineteen states and a union territory.
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A sum of Rs. 4.84 crore was released as assistance to these children during 2009-10.
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Rs. 35.06 crore has been paid as assistance up to 31.03.2010.
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486 fresh cases have been approved and 4302 cases renewed for grant of assistance under Project Assist in the current financial year
vii) Group personal accident insurance for child victims
Insurance cover with the following benefits has been provided to all the children who are getting assistance under the scheme of assistance w.e.f. 1.3.2002.
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Event |
Compensation (in Rs.) |
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Death |
25000 |
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Loss of 2 limbs or one limb and one eye |
25000 |
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One hundred percent permanent disablement other than those mentioned above |
25000 |
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Loss of one limb or one eye |
12500 |
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Reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by a child for treatment in a hospital or nursing home and as an indoor patient for an injury sustained in an accident (based upon medical certificate from the consulting doctor)
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500 |
Part – B Collaboration with Non-Governmental Organisations
The Foundation collaborates with the following organisations:
i. Aashwas, a unit functioning under the Assam Police, Guwahati
Aashwas is an Assam Police Project which is helping the Foundation by identifying child victims of militancy in Assam who are being provided financial assistance.
ii. Council for Rehabilitation of Widows, Orphans, Handicapped and Old Persons in Jammu & Kashmir, Srinagar
Council for Rehabilitation of Widows, Orphans, Handicapped and Old persons, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir is working for victims of militancy. The council has been helping the Foundation in identifying child victims of terrorism in the state of Jammu & Kashmir.
iii. Society to Save Victims of Violence and Terrorism, Kokrajhar, Assam
The Society is collaborating with the Foundation in implementation of the Project ‘Assist’ in the following districts of Assam:
1)Barpeta, 2)Baska, 3)Bongaigaon, 4)Chirang, 5)Darrang, 6)Dhubri, 7)Goalpara, 8)Kokrajhar, 9)Nalbari and 10)Udalguri,