Chandigarh: Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria has reconstituted the governing body of the Utthaan Society to ensure effective implementation and management of the group home for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities in Chandigarh.The reconstituted body has been tasked with improving administrative and financial management of the society, including assessing the budget and preparing action plans.The move comes in the backdrop of changes introduced after the controversy revolving around the group home last year. The administration has relaxed several financial and related guidelines to make care of people with mental disabilities more affordable. The administration approved relaxation in the security deposit requirement following intervention of the Punjab and Haryana high court. The deposit, previously fixed between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 20 lakh depending on room category, was reduced to about Rs 2.8 lakh to Rs 6.3 lakh. Other conditions were also relaxed. Besides, the administration held deliberations on creating a new group home facility for economically weaker section (EWS) residents in Sector 15.An order issued by the social welfare, women and child department on Thursday said the reconstituted governing body would oversee the functioning, administration and overall development of the group home in Sector 31. UT chief secretary will serve as chairperson of the 13-member governing body.The governing body will include senior bureaucrats and technical officers — including the commissioner, MC commissioner, deputy commissioner, health secretary, special finance secretary, secretary social welfare, chief engineer and chief architect. It will also have a family representative of a person with mental illness, a person with intellectual disability, and an independent mental health professor. Objectives of reconstituted governing body — Consider the annual budget, annual action plan and subsequent alterations — Monitor the financial position of the Society to ensure smooth income flow and review annual audited accounts — Appoint committees, sub-committees and boards and dissolve them if needed — To prepare annual budget estimates of the society — To deal with human resource management, legal and administrative issues and grievances pertaining to the society— To design and conduct refresher, short-term courses and training for staff, doctors and group home residents — To fix and collect fee as well as other charges payable to the society — Use society funds to meet expenses incurred in the exercise of society’s powers and functions — To prepare annual accounts as certified by auditor, chartered accountant engaged/appointed by the society — To save and defend all legal proceedings on behalf of govt, related institutes and the society — To delegate powers to any member, staff or committees of the society Role of Utthaan SocietyThe Utthaan Society is an administrative body created by the Chandigarh administration to run and manage the group home for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities in Sector 31. It operates under the social welfare department, which is the nodal authority for the project. The society’s governing body and executive committee play a central role in policy-making, admissions, finances, and overall functioning of the facility. In essence, the Utthaan Society and its governing body function as the institutional mechanism through which the group home is governed.MSID:: 130534392 413 |
