Grants-in-Aid to Ex-Convicts Rules, 1982
Published vide Notification No. SW(S)141/81/2, dated the 30th March, 1982
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(a) "Board" means a Board referred to in Rule 8.
(b) "Director" means the Director of Social Welfare, Meghalaya.
(c) "Ex-convict" means a convict who has been released from prison after remaining in jail for a continuous period of not less than five years on account of sentence of imprisonment imposed by any court of law including courts under the District Councils.
(d) "Government" means the Government of Meghalaya.
3. Purpose of the grants. - (1) Grants may be sanctioned to an ex-convict who is a native of the State of Meghalaya for engaging himself in any of the following trades after his release from prison namely:-(a) running a shop including grocery store for selling tea, cigarettes, newspapers, etc.;
(b) Handicrafts including bamboo and cane works;
(c) Tailoring, weaving, knitting embroidery works, and work of like nature;
(d) Opening a poultry or piggery farm;
(e) Agriculture/farming; and
(f) Such other trades to be specified by the Government from time to time.
4. Conditions. - Subject to approval of the Government the grant shall be sanctioned by the Director on the following conditions, namely:-(a) that the grant shall be utilised exclusively for the purpose for which it is meant;
(b) that accounts and activities relating to the trade will be subjected to inspection by the Director or any officer authorised by him and the grantee shall make available all relevant records as well as other facilities necessary for the purpose;
(c) that the grantee shall take steps to utilise the grant within 6 months from the date of receipt and furnish the utilisation certificate to the Director. The Director may also fix the time within which the certificate should be furnished;
(d) that the grantee shall submit to the Director a detailed report of the work together with the statement of accounts within one month from the close of the financial year unless for sufficient reasons the period has been extended by the Director;
(e) that unspent balance, if any, shall be refunded by the grantee before the close of the financial year unless extension of time for utilisation of the amount is granted by the Director.
5. Fund. - The funds under these rules shall be operated and the accounts thereof maintained by the Director. The accounts shall be audited by the Accountant General and the Examiner of Local Accounts. 6. Eligibility and procedure for applying for the grants. - (1) The grant shall be admissible to ex-convicts except habitual and incorrigible offenders and those convicted more than once. (2) The convict desiring to avail himself of the grant may apply to the Director in Form "A" appended in these rules through the Superintendent, District Jail three months ahead of his release or within a period of two years from the date of his release and the Superintendent shall forward the application along with his comments. Application for the Grant shall be invited by advertisement at such time as may be found suitable by the Director. (3) The general activities of the applicant and such further particulars as may be considered necessary shall also be investigated into by the Director, or other officers authorised in this behalf for the purpose of making the grants. 7. Information to the convicts. - The Superintendent, District Jail shall from time to time bring these Rules to the notice of the convicts especially those who are expected to be released within a period of four months to enable them to avail of the opportunity of applying for the grants. The District Social Welfare Officer shall visit the Institution Gail) of his District once in every month and ascertain from Superintendent of Jail, the particulars of long term prisoners to be released in the next three months. 8. Scrutiny of application by the Board. - (1) The application shall be scrutinised by the Board which shall decide on the merits of each case the quantum of the amount of grant that may be given and made necessary recommendation along with its observation to the Government. (2) The Board referred to in sub-rule (1) shall consist of the following persons as members with the Director of Social Welfare as Chairman, namely:- Chairman:-(i) The Director of Social Welfare.
Members:-(ii) The Inspector General of Prison.
(iii) The Director of Industries.
(iv) The Director of Sericulture and Weaving.
(v) The Director of Animal Husbandry and veterinary.
(vi) The Director of Agriculture.
Member-Secretary:-(vii) The Deputy Director of Social Welfare.
9. Execution of a bond. - Before any grant is released the grantee shall execute a bond in Form 'B' appended to these rules. 10. Interpretation. - The decision of the Government in the Social Welfare Department shall be final and binding on any matter arising out of the interpretation of any provision under these rules.Form 'A'
Form of Application for Grants-in-Aid
[Under Rule 6 (2)]
(Application to be submitted through the Superintendent of Jail]
1. Name of applicant. 2. Present address/permanent address. 3. Case reference (stating therein the crime and section under which he was convicted for). 4. The terms of imprisonment and the period of sentence he has served out (with date and name of Jail/Jails). 5. Date of release. 6. Purpose for which the grant-in-aid applied for. 7. Amount applied for. Date.........Signature of Applicant.
Remarks to be endorsed by the Superintendent of Jail as to the desirability of awarding the grant-in-aid to the applicant.Superintendent, District Jail.
Form 'B'
Bond
(Under Rule 9)
This Bond is executed by me (grantee) aged about............................years months......................days, son/daughter/wife of.....................................resident of............. And witness that 1 am held and firmly bound to the Governor of Meghalaya, his successors in office and assigns (hereinafter called the Government) to pay to the Governor of Meghalaya on demand the sum of Rs (Rupees ...............) only being the amount of Ex-convicts grants sanctioned to me vide in connection with (one of the trade as at Rule 3).(Signature of the Grantee).
Whereas upon him/her application the Governor has been pleased to sanction Ex-convicts Grants of a sum of Rs................(Rupees) only to be paid to the above name Shri/Smt.....................for engaging himself/herself in (one of the trade as at Rule 3). Now the condition of the bond is such that if the aforesaid (name of the grantee) actually engages himself/herself in the trade mentioned above as per the conditions of the rules of this grant as certified by the Director or any officer authorised in this connection then the above written bond shall be void otherwise the same will remain in full force and virtue. Witness:-1.
2.
(Signature of the above bounden)