Haryana Govt unveils bonanza for NGOs propagating saints’ teachings

Tribune News Service

Pradeep Sharma

Chandigarh, February 4

The state government has finance assistance for NGOs propagating teachings of great saints under a new policy to encourage people, especially youth, to follow their teachings.

Under the newly-notified ‘Sant Mahapurush Samman Evam Vichar Prasar Yojana”, an NGO organising a district-level function to celebrate birth and death anniversaries of a saint will get financial assistance up to Rs 2 lakh.

The primary aim of the new scheme is to “propagate teachings of great saints among masses, especially the youth, so as to encourage them to follow their teachings that are part of the country’s rich spiritual heritage” stated a notification issued by the Information, Public Relations and Languages Department.

“Financial assistance of up to Rs 50,000 may be sanctioned for a block level programme, up to Rs 2 lakh for a district level programme with the approval of the Director General, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department on the recommendations of the deputy commissioner concerned. The amount for a state-level programme will be decided on the basis of its importance,” stated the notification issued by V Umashankar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department.

The notification also made it clear that “if a programme is not organised through societies registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, or the Indian Trust Act, then the programme would be organised on recommendations of the Chief Minister”. “A committee under the chairmanship of deputy commissioner concerned will be constituted for finalising all arrangements for a programme,” it said.

Saying the amount sanctioned would be in nature of reimbursement and no advance will be sanctioned, the notification stated a maximum of five societies would be recommended by the deputy commissioner for holding programme in one district in a year.

For important programmes, the maximum limit of expenditure for transportation is proposed to be fixed at Rs 25 lakh, the notification added.

BJP OUTREACH AHEAD OF KEY ELECTIONS?

The new scheme is likely to help the BJP in organising a massive outreach programmes in the run-up to the parliamentary and Assembly elections this year. As various wings of the party will be involved in organising functions to commemorate birth and death anniversaries of saints at the block, district and state level, the BJP would get chance to mobilise its cadre for the twin polls.

Main objective of the scheme

The primary aim of the new scheme is to “propagate teachings of great saints among masses, especially the youth, so as to encourage them to follow their teachings that are part of the country’s rich spiritual heritage”.

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