Section 9 in The Assam Handicraft Artisans Welfare Fund Scheme, 2000
9. (A) Administrative Expenses.
(1)Subject to the provisions of the Act, the Rules and the Scheme, the Board shall administer the fund and implement the Act, Rules and the Scheme.(2)All expenses for administering the fund, including the fees and allowances payable to the members of the Board, salaries and leave and joining time allowances, travelling and compensatory allowances ; gratuities, pension, contribution to the provident fund and other benefit funds entitled to the employees of the Board, the cost of audit of accounts, legal, expenses, cost of books, stationery and printing, postage, telephone and telegram charges, all expenses connected with construction of or hiring of buildings, purchases, maintenance and running expenses of vehicles, expenses for hiring of vehicles, advertisement, payment of rent, rates and taxes and all other establishment charges shall be met from that part of the fund set apart and earmarked by the Board as Administration Fund.(3)The Board shall be competent to decide the amount to be set apart as Administration Fund subject to a ceiling of 25% of anticipated total receipt for the first year of operation of fund and 25% of the actual receipt of the previous year for the subsequent year:Provided that the Government may for valid reasons enhance or reduce the 25% ceiling in any particular year.Provided also that 25% of the income accrued through interest etc. from the investment may be used for the general administration expenses of the Board.(B)Welfare Measures. - After setting apart the money for the Administration Fund as provided under Para 9(2) and (3) above, the remaining part of the money, in the fund shall be utilised for carrying out the following welfare measures:(1)For payment of pension. - (i) persons eligible for assistance under this item are :(a)a member of the Fund, who has completed the age of 60 years or who is unable to work due to old age or infirmity, provided he had valid membership at the time of completing of 60 years or occurrence of infirmity; and(b)a person, who, before commencement of the Act was a handicraft artisan or self employed person, and who has completed the age of 60 years or who suffers permanent disablement and is out of employment.(ii)A person under category (i) (b) above shall produce along with his application his old Employees State Insurance Card or provident fund record or identity Card or certificate or letter of discharge from the employer under whom he was working and in the absence of any of these, a certificate from the Gaon Panchayat or the Town Committee or Municipality where the applicant resides, to the effect that he was a Handicraft Artisan or a self employed person who was engaged in the manufacture of handicraft product for his livelihood.(iii)Applicant for pension on ground of inability to work owing to infirmity or permanent disablement shall produce a medical certificate issued by a qualified Medical Practitioner in government service not below the rank of an Assistant Surgeon to the effect that the applicant is unable to work due to infirmity or permanent disablement.(iv)Applicant for pension for those, who have completed the as age of 60 years shall produce extract of school records, if available to prove his age. In the absence of school records, a certificate from a qualified medical practitioner in government service not below the rank of an Assistant Surgeon, to the effect that the applicant has completed 60 years of age will be sufficient.(v)Pension to persons under category (i) (b) shall be payable with effect from such the date as may be appointed by the Government by Notification in the Official Gazette for bringing into force of the Act under section 1(3) of the Act and the arrears till the date of sanction will be paid along with the first payment of pension.(vi)Payment of pension to persons under category (i) (a) shall be payable from the month succeeding the month in which the handicraft artisan/self employed person completed the age of 60 years or become unable to work due to infirmity or permanent disablement and arrears till the date of sanction will be paid along with the first payment of pension.(vii)A member of the Fund or a Handicraft Artisan eligible for pension under this Scheme shall be entitled to a monthly pension at the rate specified in the Schedule appended to this Scheme.(viii)The pension shall be sent by money order to the pensioner, as far as possible, on the first working day of the succeeding month. The money order charges will be met by the Board.(ix)The pension shall cease to be payable in the event of death of the pensioner. Arrears of pension, if any, shall be paid to the surviving spouse and in the absence of surviving spouse to the legal heirs.(x)The pensioner shall produce a life certificate as on the 31st March of every year issued by the Gaon Panchayat or the Town Committee or Municipality of the place of his residence or any Gazetted Officer in the State Government service. Pension for the month of April every year and thereafter shall be paid only on the receipt of the life certificate.(xi)A pensioner who has not completed 60 years of age and who is in receipt of pension on ground of permanent disability, shall produce as 31st March of every year, a certificate from a qualified medical practitioner in government service not below the rank of an Assistant Surgeon, to the effect that he is unable to do any work connected with handicraft industry. Pension for the month of April every year and thereafter shall be paid only on the receipt of the medical certificate.(xii)Any person who is in receipt of pension under any other Scheme or from any other source shall not be eligible for pension under this Scheme.(xiii)No claim for pension under this Scheme shall be entertained by the Board in respect of a member who has failed to pay his contribution or other dues in time or defaulted payment of contribution or other dues payable to the Fund in respect of him, unless the arrear dues and fine with interest thereon or other damages as may be fixed by the Board are paid with in such time fixed for this purpose by the Board.(2)For payment of family pension.-(i) Persons eligible for assistance under this item are:(a)spouse of a deceased handicraft artisan or a self employed person who had valid membership in the Fund at the time of his death ; and(b)the spouse of a pensioner under the scheme.(ii)The family pension shall be paid only to the spouse who are nominated by the member or pensioner as the case may be. In the absence of such nomination the surviving spouse shall produce a certificate from the Gaon Panchayat or the Town Committee or Municipality of the place of residence of the member to the effect that the applicant is the surviving spouse of the deceased member or pensioner as the case may be. If there is more than one living spouse and if there is no nomination, the family pension shall be divided equality among them on production of heirship certificate.(iii)The persons eligible for pension under this Scheme shall be entited to a monthly pension at the rate specified in the Schedule appended to this Scheme.(iv)The family pension to the spouse of a deceased member shall become payable from the month in which the death of the member took place.(v)Family pension to the spouse of a pensioner shall become payable from the month following the month in which pension was last paid to the pensioner.(vi)Arrears, if any, as on the date of sanction shall be paid along with the first payment of family pension.(vii)The family pension shall cease to be payable in the event of death or remarriage of the family pensioner.(viii)The family pension shall be sent by money order as far as possible, on the fist working day of the succeeding month. The money order charges shall be met by the Board.(ix)Family pensioner shall produce a life certificate as on the 31st March of every year issued by the Gaon Panchayat or the Town Committee or Municipality of the place of residence of the family pensioner or any Gazetted Officer in the State Government service. The family pension for the month of April every year and thereafter shall be paid only on the receipt of the life certificate.(x)A husband/wife/legally separated from the handicraft artisan before his /her demise shall not have any claim to receive the family pension.(xi)Any person who is in receipt of pension under any other scheme or from any other source shall not be eligible for family pension under this scheme.(xii)No.claim for family pension under this Scheme shall be entertained unless the provisions under paragraph (B)(1) (xiii) are fulfilled in respect of the concerned member.(3)For payment of financial assistance to a member who suffers from permanent or temporary disablement. - (i) The assistance under this item will be in the form of grant.(ii)It shall be paid only to a member who had valid membership at the time of occurrence of disablement.(iii)The amount of financial assistance in the event of permanent disablement incapacitating the handicraft artisans or self employed person from continuance of his work will be 2500.00 (Two Thousand Five Hundred) only or an amount equal to Rs. 100.00 (One Hundred) only per month for the number of months remaining for the handicraft artisan or self employed person concerned to complete 60 years of age whichever is less. The assistance under permanent disablement shall be paid only once in the life time of a member.(iv)The amount of assistance for temporary disablement will be at the rate of Rs. 100.00 (One Hundred) only per month during the period of disablement subject to a ceiling of Rs. 300.00 (Three Hundred) only in a year. No assistance under this item will be available if the period of disablement is for less than one month.(v)The financial assistance under permanent or temporary disablement shall be paid only against certificate issued by a qualified medical practitioner in government service not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon.(vi)The handicraft artisan or self employed person who is in receipt of financial assistance for permanent disablement shall also be eligible for monthly pension under permanent disablement.(4)For payment of exgratia financial assistance to the spouse of a member meeting with fatal accident. - (i) The amount of assistance under this item shall be Rs. 5000.00 (Five Thousand) only and shall be in the form of grant and shall be available in the event of death by or as result of an accident arising in course of his employment as a Handicraft Artisan.(ii)The assistance shall be available to the spouse of a member who had valid membership at the time of occurrence of the fatal accident.(iii)The financial assistance under this item shall be payable to the spouse who was nominated by the member. In the event of the member dying without nomination the assistance shall be paid only on production of heirship certificate. If there is more than one living spouse, as per the heirship certificate the amount shall be divided equally among them.(iv)Along with the claim of grant under this provision of the claimant shall have to produce valid proof regarding the death of the member cause due to the fatal accident during the course of his employment as Handicraft Artisan to the best of satisfaction of the authority.(5)For payment of financial assistance to meet the expenses in connection with the funeral of the father, mother, spouse or children of the member. - (i) The assistance under this item will be Rs. 200.00 (Two Hundred) only in each case and will be in the form of grant.(ii)It shall be paid only to a member who had valid membership(6)For reimbursement of medical expenses of the member of his family. - (i) The assistance under this item will be in the form of grant and will be limited to Rs. 350.00 (Three Hundred Fifty) only in a year.(ii)The assistance under this item will be available only for the medical treatment of the member, his/her father, mother, spouse, sons, daughters and dependent grand children :Provided that the assistance will not be available to sons or daughters who have married and settled as separate families.(iii)The amount will be reimbursed only against bills certified by qualified medical practitioner in government service not below the rank of Assistant Surgeon.(iv)The assistance under this item shall be not be available to a member who is eligible for medical assistance under any other scheme like Employees State Insurance Scheme.(7)For the payment of scholarship/stipend for post metric education. - (f) The assistance under this item will be available to the children of the members having valid membership at the time of application for undergoing post metric education including vocational and technical training subject to a ceiling of Rs. 500.00 (Five Hundred) only per annum per student. In the case of the children studying in Engineering or Medical or veterinary or Agricultural Colleges, the annual limit will be Rs. 1500.00 (One Thousand Five Hundred) only. If both the spouses are member of the Fund assistance will be available to any one of the spouses only.(ii)The assistance will be in the form of grant.(iii)Subject to prior approval of the Government, the Board shall earmark the annual provision of funds under this item for each category of course and the assistance in any year will be limited to the funds so set apart.(iv)The criterion for selection of scholars will be the marks obtained in the qualifying examination for selection to the course.(v)The scholarship/stipend will be discontinued in the event of the student failing in any year.(vi)Those who are in receipt of Scholarship/stipend under any other scheme shall not be eligible for assistance under this item.(8)For the payment of financial assistance for maternity purposes to a woman member.-(i) The financial assistance under this item will be Rs. 300.00 (Three Hundred) only at a time.(ii)The assistance will be in the form of grant and will be extended only to woman members having valid membership.(iii)Assistance under this item shall not be available to a woman member eligible for maternity benefits under any other scheme.(9)For payment of financial assistance for the marriage of daughter of the member.-(i) The assistance under this item shall be available only to a member having valid membership.(ii)The amount of assistance will be Rs. 1000.00 (One Thousand) only in each case and shall be in the form of grant.(iii)The assistance under this item will be available only once for the marriage of any daughter unless the second marriage is owing to the death of the first husband.This will not preclude her from getting any assistance in this regard from the Government or any other source.(10)To provide for distress relief to the family of any member effected by natural calamities and epidemics.-(1) Natural Calamities-(i)Persons eligible for assistance under this item are:(a)Those all of whose properties have been totally washed out by the flood.(b)Those all of whose place of living and the place of working is under flood water for more than 3 months continuously and the artisan is out of work drawing these days.(c)Those all of whose production system /machinery and equipments are completely damaged due to flood.(d)a member of the Fund, whose place of living and the place of working have been destroyed by an earth quake.(ii)The maximum assistance under this item will be in case of (i) (a)Rs. 500.00 (Five Hundred); (i) (b) Rs. 300.00 (Three Flundred); (i) (c) Rs. 300.00 (Three Hundred); and (i) (d) Rs. 400.00 (Four Hundred), and shall be in the form of grant.(iii)The assistance under this item shall be available only to a member having valid membership.(iv)For claiming the assistance, an Assessment Certificate from the Circle Officer and counter signed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) or Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) shall be submitted along with the application.(v)The Board has the right to accept, determine the quantum of assistance to be given or reject the application :Provided that the Government may for valid reasons enhance the ceiling. (vi) Any person who is in receipt of relief etc. under any other scheme or from any other source shall not be eligible for assistance under this item.(2)Epidemic.-(i)The assistance under this item will be in the form of grant and will be limited to Rs. 350.00 (Three Hundred Fifty) only in a year.(ii)The assistance under this item will be available only for the medical treatment of the member, his/her father, mother, spouse, sons, daughters and dependent grand children:(iii)The amount will be reimbursed only against bills certified by a qualified medical practitioner in government service not below the rank of Assistance Surgeon.(iv)The assistance under this item shall not be available to a member who is eligible for medical assistance under any other scheme like Employees State Insurance Scheme.
