Seva Bhoj Yojana : New Schemes Implemented by Government

RAJYA SABHA 

NEW SCHEMES IMPLEMENTED BY GOVERNMENT

183.  SHRI NARESH BANSAL

Will the MINISTER OF CULTURE be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the new schemes, if any, having been implemented by the Ministry during last five years;

(b) whether any effect of these schemes has been seen on Uttarakhand State; and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) Two new schemes were introduced by the Ministry of Culture on 01.08.2018 & 15.10.2018 namely “Scheme of Financial  assistance under  Seva Bhoj Yojna” and “Financial assistance for Allied Cultural Activities” under “Scheme of Financial Assistance for Creation of Cultural Infrastructure” respectively during last five years.

Under the Scheme of ‘Seva Bhoj Yojna’, Charitable/Religious Institutions are reimbursed Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Central Government’s share of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) paid by them on purchase of specific raw food items for distributing free food to public.

These Charitable/Religious Institutions should have been distributing free food  in  the form of ‘prasad’, ‘langar’/bhandara (community kitchen) to at least 5000 persons in a calendar month for at least past 3 years. Financial Assistance in the form of reimbursement shall be provided where the institution has already paid GST on all or any of the raw food items like Ghee, Edible oil, Sugar / Burra / Jaggery, Rice, Atta / Maida / Rava /Flour, Pulses.

Under ‘Allied Cultural Activities Scheme’ financial assistance is provided to all eligible organizations for creation of assets for enhancing the audio-visual spectacle for allied cultural activities to give first hand experience of live performances on regular basis and during festivals in open/closed areas/spaces. Maximum assistance under the scheme component, including applicable duties & taxes and also Operation & Maintenance (O&M) costing for five years, will be as under:- (i) Audio: Rs.1.00 crore; (ii) Audio+Video: Rs. 1.50 crore.

(b) & (c)  Under the Scheme of Allied Cultural Activities 6 projects of the Govt. of Uttrakhand have been sanctioned. Details of the projects are at Annexure ‘X’.

The Scheme of Financial Assistance under Seva Bhoj Yojna is applicable to Charitable/Religious Institutions throughout the country. However, no Charitable/Religious Institution from Uttarakhand has been registered under Seva Bhoj Yojna.

 Annexure ‘X’