The Scheme may be called the ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Scheme of Financial Assistance to Cultural Institutions.’ This scheme is the revised version of the original scheme and will come into force wef. Financial year 2019-2020.

2. Objectives

The scheme is intended to enable the Sangeet Natak Akademi to offer grants-in-aid to select cultural institutions which are engaged in the promotion of the performing arts, namely, music, dance and drama. The grants-in-aid scheme is to serve primarily two objectives, namely, to provide financial support to institutions engaged in training in the fields of music, dance drama, etc. and to encourage production of new plays and ballets, etc.

3. Scope of the Scheme

For the fulfillment of the objectives specified in para 2 above, financial assistance will be provided on an annual basis to meet the expenditure on (i) the salaries and stipends of teachers and students (ii) honorariums and fees to the artists, (iii) expenses on new productions which will include rental charges and expenses on publicity, (iv) maintaining shows on a regular basis and cost of establishment (including cost of administrative staff up to 15% of the total amount of the grant).

The scheme will also provide for support to the folk performing parties in various regions working in the fields of music, dance and drama so that they are able to sustain their activities in their respective regions. The scheme will also encourage work in other specialized areas in the field of performing arts such as community singing and children’s theatre.

The scheme will also provide for support to research and survey project in the field of performing arts.

The scheme will also provide support to any specific project of a specialized nature considered useful in the larger interest, for organizing festivals/special events/exhibitions of rare/dying forms of music/dance/theatre to create awareness of such art forms and for advanced training refresher courses, workshop and lecture-demonstrations, etc., by eminent Gurus.

The Scheme will however not provide any financial assistance for purchase or repair of any item which will form capital investment viz. musical instruments, purchase of stage lights etc. or repair thereof. 

4. Selection of institutions

1. On the basis of applications received a select list of institutions and projects/programmes, etc. will be drawn up keeping in view the activities and standing of the institution(s) and having due regard to the type of activities which are to be fostered and assisted.
2. The Akademi will also directly select programmes and projects for implementation in various specialized fields such as short-term training courses, encouragement to children’s theatre and community singing and subsidy to the folk performing groups and holding of art festivals on a zonal basis. Most of these programmes will be organized in collaboration with the State Akademies/Major institutions in the field in the regions concerned to the extent possible.

5. Machinery for Selection and Allocation of Grants

A panel of experts called the Grants Committee will consider application and make recommendations regarding the disbursement of grants. The Grants Committee will keep in view the requirements of various fields, namely music, dances and drama and try for a proportionate allocation of funds. There will be a separate Grants Committee for North Eastern Region (NER). The Grant Committee (NER)  will have members who are conversant/familiar with the art forms and institutions working for promotion of art & culture in the North Eastern Region.

The Grants Committee will specify the quantum of grants in the case of each institution which shall be not lower than Rs.30000/- and not above Rs.1,00,000/-. Requests by institutions for financial assistance over and above this figure will be advised to approach the Ministry of Culture under their grant schemes.  The Committee will also lay down and special conditions and procedures in respect of the utilization of grants and also implementation of various projects and programmes.

In selecting the institutions, the Grants Committee will keep in view the objectives and criteria laid down in the preceding paragraphs and also, while selecting the institutions, will examine their source of income, the level of expenditure and the art form for which the Grant has been applied for. It will also be ensured that the organization/institution who is applying for the grant under the scheme is registered for the last three years with the Centre/State Govt or with any authority who has been authorized to do so by the Govt.

Canvassing in any form for securing financial assistance under the scheme will disqualify the applicant.

6. Procedure for processing of Applications for Assistance

1. All applications for financial assistance shall be submitted in the form prescribed in the Annexure to these rules. The last date for acceptance of all applications for financial assistance will be 31^st of July of each FY. All applications received after this date will be returned to the Grantee institutions. The application on the prescribed form should be submitted to the Akademi along with the following documents:

1. A self attested copy of the Registration Certificate issued by the Central/State Govt or any other Govt body who has been authorized to do so. In the case of NGO/Trusts, a self certified copy of the registration deed of the NGO/Trust along with its bylaws/related documents need to be enclosed.
2. A list of office-bearers of the institution along with the date and seal of the institution on the application. Undated and un-stamped applications are liable to be rejected.
3. An audited statement of income and expenditure and balance sheet as on the last date of the financial year preceding the year to which the application relates.(Example: If the application bears the date 31-03-2018 the audited statements of accounts for the year 2017-18 is to be sent with the application);
4. Particulars of financial assistance, if any, received by the institution, including  assistance received from the Akademi indicating the amount, source, and purpose of such assistance and how the amounts were utilized for the last three years;
5. Report of the activities during the preceding year but one. ( Example: If the applications for financial assistance for the year 2018-19, report of activities for the year 2017-18 is to be sent );
6. A Certificate to the effect that the institution/organization has submitted the Utilization Certificate for the Grant which was sanctioned during the last FY. 

2.  The application shall contain full details of the projects to be undertaken;

1. In the case of training programme, the nature and scope of the training, the names and qualifications of the members of the teaching staff, the number of students undergoing training shall be indicated by the institution. The institution will also submit an annual report and the result of the annual examination;
2. In the case of new productions, the detailed estimates of cost of production, name of the play and the director etc., will be indicated. The institution will also supply a full report of the activities and the number of shows given of the new production.
3. In the case of survey and research projects, the nature and scope of the survey and research, the technical personnel employed, the equipment required and full details of the methodology to be adopted will have to be indicated. The institution will have to submit two copies of the report of the survey and research project;
4. In regard to technical equipment, the details of the various sound and light equipments with the estimated cost will have to be supplied and the nature of the utilization of the equipment required indicated. The institution will also supply a list of the equipment already in its possession.

3. Application for assistance can be submitted directly or through the State Academy or through the State Government (if there is no State Academy) so as to reach the Akademi no later than 31^st July of the financial year for which financial assistance is required. All applications received after 31^st July each year and received without all the requisite documents as brought out above will not be considered. All institutions will submit their applications complete in all respects along with all the documents, even if they have received financial assistance in the previous years and submitted all the documents.

7. Procedure for the Release and Accounting of Grants

1. Within thirty days of issue of a detailed sanction letter indicating clearly the terms and conditions and quantum of the grant offered, acceptance from the institution concerned, in the form of and Assurance Certificate, must be received by the Akademi. Failure on the part of the institutions to respond within the stipulated time will entail cancellation of the sanction and diversion of the grant to other institutions. However, in the event of the Grants Committee Meeting being held/delayed due to administrative reasons the 1^st installment of the grant (75%) will be issued immediately to the concerned institutions without waiting for formal acceptance and Assurance Certificate to enable the institutions to complete their activities during a particular financial year.

2. Grants will be released in two installments of 75% and 25%. Where grants are to be released for the first time (i.e., where accounts for any past grants do not remain to be rendered to the Akademi), the first installment of the grant will be released soon after the receipt of the Assurance Certificate and a stamped receipt for the amount from the institution concerned and a certificate that no Grant was received from the Ministry of Culture of the same purpose. This condition will be waived in the event of the Grants Committee meeting being delayed or held late in the FY due to administrative reasons. 
3. Where any grant has been given in the previous year(s), the first installment of 75% of the current year’s will be released on receipt of :

1. The Assurance Certificate mentioned in the preceding paragraph and
2. The Assurance Certificate for any past grant(s) duly signed by an office-bearer of the institution together with detailed statement of expenditure. This condition will be relaxed if the UC and other connected document of the institution stand received in the Akademi and the 2^nd installment (25%) of the grant issued during the last FY stands released.

The second installment of 25% of the current year’s grant will be released only on receipt of the Utilization Certificate in respect of the past grant(s) duly countersigned by a practicing Chartered Accountant. The Utilization Certificate should also contain his dated remarks relating to the grant, with particular reference to its Utilization on the terms and conditions of the grant, together with a detailed statement of expenditure incurred and an audited statement of accounts in respect of previous grants along with a report on the activity undertaken by the institution out of the grant sanctioned for the purpose by the Akademi. The last date for submission of UC for a particular FY is 31^st July every year. All UCs received after this date will not be entertained and the 2^nd installment as due to the institution will be forfeited.

4. It will be ensured by all the Grantee Institutions to clearly indicate in their accounts the sum received (75%) from SNA as “Grant Received from SNA”. As regards the 2^nd installment (25%) it will be shown as “Grant Receivable from SNA” if not already received.
5.  Grants will be released to the concerned institutions before the 15^th of January of each financial year. Grants for such of those institutions which have been withheld due to non-receipt of UC and other documents will not be released till all prior UCs and related documents along with satisfactory report is received by the Akademi. All grants which are not released due to late receipt of UC/Accounts or un-satisfactory report/non receipt of report on the activity undertaken will be forfeited under the orders of the competent authority.
6. All institutions who have been provided financial assistance for the purpose as mentioned in the scheme will be required to up-load their activity reports, videos, research papers etc. on the website of Sangeet Natak Akademi, for which a separate portal will be created. However, pending creation of a dedicated portal for the purpose, all institutions may up-load their activities on youtube or any other e-platform and provide the link to SNA while claiming 2^nd installment of the financial assistance, failing which the 2^nd installment of the grant will not be released. 

8. Monitoring Committee

In order to check the veracity of the institutions to whom grants have been sanctioned/released, and also to verify as to whether the funds are being put to good use by the grantee institutions, a Monitoring Committee has been constituted in the Sangeet Natak Akademi. The Monitoring committee comprising of a EB/GC member, local co-ordinator and one Deputy Secretry level officer (to be nominated by the Chairman/Secretary, SNA) will visit/inspect the institutions, preferably during festivals organized by SNA and verify the veracity and genuineness of the institutions and file a report in this regard for information and further necessary action. Apart from this Section Officer (Grant) will periodically put up a note to the competent authority to depute a monitoring committee for carrying out surprise check of institutions of a particular state/region/city as the case may be. The reports submitted by the Monitoring Committee will be put up before the Grants Committee every year by the Grants Section.    

 The reports submitted by the officers will be considered by the Grants Committee at the time of consideration of the allocation of grants to various institutions.

9. Interpretation

In the event of any doubt about any of the aforesaid rules relating to the scheme, the decision of the Chairman of the Grants Committee will be final. The revised guidelines as brought out above will come into effect wef. FY 2019-2020.