NRI Plan and Scheme

NRI Goverment of Punjab Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (PLAN SCHEME NRI -1)

SCOPE

The Plan Scheme NRI-1 shall be source of funding open to all rural/urban area in the state of Punjab, provided they meet the eligibility conditions set for any project or class of projects from time to time. Since the scheme has been formulated with a view to provide overall benefit of the general masses and overall community development of the area. Government has decided that such projects will not be restricted to hospitals, libraries, drinking water, sewerage, disposal, public latrines, street lights, sports stadium but other areas affecting the people of all walks of life can also be considered. A suggestive list of the projects is given in Annexure-II. Whereas, the NRI/NGOs adopting the rural/urban shall be responsible for providing their share of resources for a project, the funds available to a rural/urban Development schemes NRI -1 shall be a grant against such share.

ELIGIBILITY

PUNRICD would take up:

• The projects proposal of rural and urban under Plan Schemes NRI-1 must be accompanied by the detailed project duly considered and approved by the DINRICD.
• Only those Gram Panchayats/Municipal limits will be selected which adopt a resolution to meet the complete Operation & Maintenance expenses of the facility created. Sufficient funds from various revenue streams such as donations from NRIs, including user charges shall be put in a dedicated account for meeting the full expenditure of O&M of the project, by the Gram Panchayat/Municipal Councils, which shall be solely responsible for funding O&M adequately. A resolution ( as per Annexure IV ) in this regard will be passed by Gram Panchayats/Municipal Councils and submitted to Deputy Commissioner where upon the project details (feasibility, cost estimates etc.) will be prepared by the NRI/NGO in consultation with the Gram Panchayat/Municipal Councils.
• The Project proposal must involve creation of some tangible public assets and not intangible assets like scholarship or services etc.

OPERATION

As per the modalities already approved by the Government in the Department of NRIs Affairs, Punjab will control the allocation and release of funds allocated in the rural/urban Development Scheme NRI -1. A part of the annual outlay could be withdrawn and kept in a nationalized bank to release matching grants to NRIs who take up development activities in rural/urban areas in right earnest. This is being done to encourage more funds to flow into rural/urban areas from overseas.

The Deputy Commissioner shall keep a ready panel of certified civil/public health/construction engineers who could be retired professionals. The Deputy Commissioner will ask certified engineer from the panel to check the detailed estimates prepared by the NRI/NGO. Detailed estimates will be forwarded to the District Level Committee, namely District NRI Committee for Development (DINRICD)(Annexure-iii), headed by the Deputy Commissioner concerned. These projects would be put up to High Level Committee called the Punjab NRI Committee for Development (PUNRICD) headed by Chief Secretary, Punjab.

On clearance of the Projects by PUNRICD, the Commissioner NRI Affairs will transfer the funds (grants) to the concerned Deputy Commissioner. The NRI contribution should be available in the district. Thereafter, the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district will deposit the Government share in a Nationalized Bank for making its further use for the completion of the project. PUNRICD will decide the quantum of the matching Grant to be given to a particular project.

To ensure full ownership and subsequent responsibility of repair maintenance of the infrastructure by the urban/rural community, the implementation of the schemes should be carried out by NRI/NGOs's subject to their capacity to handle the work technically, administrative and financially. Detailed norms have already been drawn up by the Department of NRI Affairs for implementation of such schemes which are being sanctioned and implemented by the Punjab NRI Committee for Development (PUNRICD).

ADMINISTRAIVE CHARGES

The Government has decided to allow 3% administrative charges of the total cost of the project. The breakup of 3% administrative charges which is as under:-

(1) CERTIFIED ENGINEERS

Certified engineers (from the panel maintained by the concerned Deputy Commissioner) will provide technical assistance to the PUNRICD as well as to the District NRI Committee for Development (DINRICD) wherever required. The certified Engineer will be paid an honorarium @ 2 % of the total estimated cost of the project. This expenditure will be met from the estimated cost of the project and no separate budget will be made.

(2) CHARTED ACCOUNTANTS

All funds spent by the Government as well as by the NRI/NGO would be audited by a Charted Accountant. The Deputy Commissioner will maintain a suitable panel of Charted Accountant. The Charted Accountant will be paid an honorarium @ 1% of the total estimated cost of the project. This expenditure will be met from the estimated cost of the project and no separate budget will be made.

(3) SPECIAL AUDITED

After completion the work of the project, all funds spent on the project by the Government as well NRI/NGO would be audited by an other Special Charted Accountant. The said Charted Accountant will be paid an honorarium @ 1% of the total estimated cost of the project subject to the minimum of Rs. 1000/- and maximum of Rs. 10,000/- whichever is less. This expenditure will be met from the estimated cost of the project and no separate budget will be made.

PROCEDURE FOR RELASE OF FUNDS

The Punjab NRI Committee for Development (PUNRICD) headed by the Chief Secretary will decide the quantum of Government's share. Al least 25% contribution will be from the NRIs/NGO under this Scheme. After the PUNRICD approves the projects, it will be executed and completed under the strict supervision of the concerned NRI/NGO. The procedure of expenditure on the project by the NRI/NGO and the State Government will be as under:-

• First the NGO/NRI will spend 25% of the total cost of the project out of their own funds;
• Then apply to Deputy Commissioner for release of the 25% share out of the total cost of the project as Government funds and after its utilization. On receipt of report from the DC the State shall release 25% of the State share.
• The NGO/NRI will spend next 25% of the total cost of the project out of their own funds.
• Then the NGO/NRI will apply to the Deputy Commissioner for release the remaining 25% share out of the Government funds. On receipt of report from the DC the State shall release 50% of the State share.

The Deputy Commissioner and the DINRICD would make efforts to complete the projects as soon as possible at least within a year from the date of release of funds. It will be the responsibility of the concerned Deputy Commissioner to send the completion report of the project to the PUNRICD. The interest accrued from the amount deposited in the banks shall be the part of the income of the project.

The concerned NRI/NGOs will submit the details of accounts of expenditure to the DINRICD after getting it audited from the Charted Accountant from the panel.

IMPLEMENTATION FOR PROJECTS

• NRI/NGO will prepare the detailed estimate of the rural/urban development work which they will to undertake in the concerned authority.
• The discrepancies/short comings found in the proposal will be intimated by the Deputy Commissioner concerned to the NRI/NGO within 15 days, from the date of submission of the project.
  
  The revised proposal submitted by the NRI/NGO will be re-examined by the Deputy Commissioner within 15 days from its receipt and place the same to the DINRICD headed by DC for approval and send it to the Government within 15 days.
• After considering the project at the level of Government, the PUNRICD will approve the same within 1 month.
• The Deputy Commissioner shall keep ready a panel of certified Engineers. Deputy Commissioner will take the assistance of the engineers from this panel to examine and forward the project to Commissioner NRI Affairs with the recommendations of DINRICD; if necessary, a letter may be issued by Commissioner NRI Affairs to the NRI/NGOs that the scheme would be considered by PUNRICD.
• The CNRI may, if need be, ask certified engineer from the panel to check the detailed estimates prepared by the NRI/NGO.
• These projects would be put up to High Level Committee, namely the Punjab NRI Committee for Development (PUNRICD) headed by the Chief Secretary, Punjab for consideration and approval.
• On clearance of the projects by PUNRICD, the Commissioner NRI Affairs will transfer the funds (grants) to the concerned Deputy Commissioner.
• The Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district will deposit the Govt. share in a Nationalized Bank in a specially maintained account for this project for making its further use for the completion of the project.
• The NRI contribution should also be deposited in the same account in the district.
• To ensure full ownership and subsequent responsibility of repair and maintenance of the infrastructure by the village community and Municipal Council, the implementation of the schemes should be carried out by the village panchayat/ Municipal Council or the NRI NGOs concerned subject to their capacity to handle the work technically, administratively and financially.
• Certified engineers (from the panel) will provide technical assistance to the PUNRICD as well as to the District NRI Committee for Development (DINRICD) wherever required.
• All funds spent by the Government as well as by the NRI/NGOs would be audited by a Charted Accountant. The Deputy Commissioner shall maintain a panel of suitable Charted Accountants.
• After the PUNRICD approves the projects, it will be executed and completed under the strict supervision of the concerned NRI/NGO. The procedure of expenditure on the project by the NRI/NGO and the State Government will be as under:-
  • First the NGO/NRI will spend 15% of the total cost of the project out of their own funds;
  • Then apply to Deputy Commissioner for release of the 50% share out of the total cost of the project as Government funds and after its utilization. On receipt of report from the DC the State shall release 50% of the State share.
  • The NGO/NRI will spend next 10% of the total cost of the project out of their own funds.
  • Then the NGO/NRI will apply to the Deputy Commissioner for release the remaining 25% share out of the Government funds. On receipt of report from the DC the State shall release
• The funding & disbursement for the low cost sewerage schemes shall be as in the case of projects under the VDF (copy attached).
• The concerned NRI/NGO will submit the details of accounts of expenditure to the PUNRICD after getting it audited from the Charted Accountant( on the panel).

It will be the prerogative of the Department of NRI Affairs to inspect the standard and quality and progress of any ongoing project together with accounts as and when the Department feels so. The guidelines can be amended modified at any point of time with the prior approval of the PUNRICD as mentioned above.