The objective, scope and criteria for financial assistance under the Seva Bhoj Yojana is at Annexure-I.

 

The details of Religious and Charitable Institutions registered and benefitted so far under the Scheme are given as under: -

      

1. Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Amritsar
2. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirupati
3. Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam Trust, Tirupati
4. Dreams & Beauty Charitable Trust, Ludhiana
5. Durgiana Temple, Amritsar

 

It has been the constant endeavor of the Government to ensure timely disbursement of the financial assistance to the selected beneficiary institutions of all States/UTs on receipt of requisite documents from these institutions and depending upon the budgetary allocation made against the scheme.

 

The details of the States where religious and charitable institutions have taken maximum benefit of this scheme since inception of the Seva Bhoj Yojana are at Annexure-II.

Annexure-I

 

Objective of Seva Bhoj Scheme: Under the Scheme of ‘Seva Bhoj Yojna’ Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Central Government’s share of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) paid on purchase of specific raw food items by Charitable/Religious Institutions for distributing free food to public shall be reimbursed as Financial Assistance by the Government of India.

Scope of Seva Bhoj Scheme: This is a Central Sector Scheme for providing reimbursement of CGST and Central Government’s share of IGST paid by charitable/religious institutions on purchase of specific raw food items for serving free food to public / devotees. The scheme shall be applicable only to such institutions which are eligible under the Scheme

Criteria for Financial Assistance under Seva Bhoj Yojana:

(i) A Public Trust or society or body corporate, or organisation or institution covered under the provisions of section 10 (23BBA) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (as amended from time to time) or registered under the provisions of section 12AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961, for charitable/religious purposes, or a company formed and registered under the provisions of section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 or section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956, as the case may be, for charitable/ religious purposes, or a Public Trust registered as such for charitable/religious purposes under any Law for the time being in force, or a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, for charitable/religious purposes.

 

(ii) The applicant Public Trust or society or body corporate, or organisation or institution, as the case may be, must be involved in charitable/religious activities by way of free and philanthropic distribution of food/prasad/langar(Community Kitchen)/ bhandara free of cost and without discrimination through the modus of public, charitable/religious trusts or endowments including maths, temples, gurdwaras, wakfs, churches, synagogues, agiaries or other places of public religious worship.

 

(iii) The institutions/organizations should have been in existence for preceding three years before applying for assistance.

 

(iv) Only those institutions would be eligible for financial assistance which have been distributing free food, langar and prasad to public for at-least past three years on the day of application. For this purpose, entities shall furnish a self- certificate.

 

(v) Financial Assistance under the scheme shall be given only to those institutions which are not in receipt any Financial Assistance from the Central/State Government for the purpose of distributing free food: self- certificate.

 

(vi) The institutions shall serve free food to at least 5000 people in a calendar month.

 

(vii) The Institution/Organization blacklisted under the provisions of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) or under the provisions of any Act/Rules of the Central/State Government shall not be eligible for Financial Assistance under the Scheme.

 

Annexure-II

 

 (Rs.in lakhs)

This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com

(Release ID: 2155152)