Road safety (study by SRRF)

Dear Friends,

This refers to the questionnaire under finalization.
Comments on quality and condition / maintenance of the pedestrian facilities are required.
A few questions for consideration:
1. Are the pedestrian signs on road sides / across the road divider/ road over-arches
a. Appropriately located
b. Only in Figure / Both in Figure and words / only words
c. Written in both English and Hindi
2. a. Zebra strips across the road and on both sides of the divider
b. Gap in the divider sufficient for pedestrians and with hurdle-pipes preventing
two wheelers to pass through
c. Old people / children / physically disabled people friendly?
3. a. Any special signage near Hospitals / schools / crossings / junctions
Timed signal lights for pedestrians (sufficient time for old / disabled?) / untimed signal lights for pedestrians
b. Special / additional road crossing facilities near Hospitals / schools
c. Adequate?
4. Pedestrian crossing facilities at / near Road crossings / junctions / Metro stations
5. Special pedestrian facilities – Foot over bridges / under the Road- sub way
6. Footpath
a. on one side / both sides
b. Width- Sufficient?
c. Encroachments / obstructions: Fencing for gardening by road side house owners / Car parking/
occupied by vendors / Any other temporary / semi-permanent usage
d. Manholes with lid /without lid / Trees / Electric/Telephone/cable tv poles / Junction boxes / Trees
e. Permanent special pavement for own use by House owners / private entrepreneurs
f. Urination / foul smell
g. Is the footpath paved properly? Skid resistant?
h. Any other
7. Traffic police guide pedestrians signaling traffic to halt
8. Special lanes for cyclists? If yes, any violations by non-cyclists?
9. Approaches to Bus Stops/stations / Metro: Special road markings/signals (convenient and adequate?) and pedestrian behavior.
10. Near markets and Malls- Pedestrian facilities?
11. Drainage problems including overflow of effluents( Season wise) necessitating pedestrians to get on to the Roads.
12 Air pollution
Pedestrians ‘ perceptions of Vehicular pollution and their responses / behavior/involuntary responses
– to vehicles polluting Air
– foul smell emanating from road / foot path side over-flowing waste bins
13. Accidental events the pedestrians witnessed – very brief description and causative factors.
What could have prevented the accidents they witnessed?

Udayashankar

Posted in Pedestrian safety | Comments Off on Road safety (study by SRRF)

Road safety and traffic management board bill 2010

Dear friends,

The subject bill introduced in the loksabha in 2010, if implemented properly, would reduce number of fatal accidents on our national and also State high ways, as the States are supposed to

pass similar laws. Road safety audits, if conducted on a regular basis, may improve enforcement of safety laws and its effectiveness. Right today, road safety audits are done only during road construction. Post construction audits can be designed taking both traffic law compliance and maintenance of physical infrastructure and misuse of pedestrian facilities, if any.

Udayashankar

Posted in Pedestrian safety | Comments Off on Road safety and traffic management board bill 2010

Treatment of unclear balances accounted prior to 31st March

Hello Sir,

We have received a cheque in USD from a foreign donor on 14/03/14 and have deposited the same in our FCRA Account on 14/03/14. But the cheque got credited in our Bank Account on 02/04/14. Since, Financial Year changed in between deposit and credit of the cheque, do we need to book it in March’14 or April-14. If I book it in March-14, will it be problem as we have to submit Bank Statement along with our FCRA Return.

Regards
Pragya

Posted in FCRA, TAX, LEGAL | 2 Comments

Audit over audit. Is it ethical and correct?

30th April 2014

Dear Friends,

It has become a recent practice among Voluntary Organisations and Funding Agencies to enter into some sort of tripartite agreement with auditors designated by Funding Agencies to get the audited accounts of the project funded by respective Funding Agency again audited by the designated auditor.

1. Is it a healthy and ethical practice?
2. Why this need has arisen? Can we in the Voluntary Sector Introspect and Respond?
3. Our experience is that at some point these designated auditors emotionally blackmail Us for few small and even big mistakes or adjustments we made in the interest of the organisation and take a bribe. It is another BIG question if these are made for fraudulent interest of our CEOs or there accountants? How do we resolve the issue?

These are sensitive, critical but crucial questions we need to respond that I am sharing with you experiencing these entire traumas over 45 years.

Regards,
V.B.Chandrasekaran,
Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam,
Chatti Post, Chinthur Mandal, Khammam District,
Andhra Pradesh, Pin Code: 507129.
Email: verivaan2049@yahoo.com antarbharatid2010@gmail.com;

Posted in General | 10 Comments

Can we receive Indian Currency through Western Union in FCRA bank A/c?

Dear Friends,
 
Can Designated Bank (FC bank account) receive Indian Currency through Western Union, say for example From Canada to India?
 
Looking froward to hearing from you all.
 
Ajaya 
Posted in FCRA, TAX, LEGAL | 5 Comments

Corpus Fund

Dear All,

Greetings from Hyderabad!

Can the own funds of the NGO be converted into Corpus Fund based on the decision of the BoT/GB?

Thanks and regards,


B V Soma Sastry

Posted in FCRA, TAX, LEGAL | 3 Comments

85% utilization

Dear All,

Greetings from Hyderabad!

This is with reference to the 85% utilization as per the provisions of the IT Act. My query is as under:

There are certain projects for which funds are not received in the FY as the funds of the previous years are still with the NGO. Do we have to consider the expenditure for calculation 85%. The receipt was already considered in the previous year and so that has been accounted for as part of the accumulation.

The second aspect is the interest earned on the NGOs own funds and the expenditure incurred from the said receipts. Should we treat the interest as receipt and the corresponding expenditure for working out 85% utilization.

Kindly respond.

Thanks and regards,

B V Soma Sastry

Posted in FCRA, TAX, LEGAL | 3 Comments

Utilization of grants/donations received

Dear Sir

I wanted to know if there is any notification /guideline (other than income tax requirements) regarding full utilisation of grants/ donations received by an NGO. This assumes importance in view of the CSR provisions of Companies Act 2013.

Many thanks and regards

Joy Jain

Posted in FCRA, TAX, LEGAL | 1 Comment

Interpretation of Clauses of the CSR Schedule

In regards to interpretation of clauses, if the schedule dealing with CSR – the words cannot be construed to have a narrow meaning. How does an accountant deal with this while he ought to make sure that a CSR head is not wrongly debited.

Best Regards.
Udayan Maroo

Posted in CSR | 1 Comment

NGO Accounting Software

Following query received from Mr. Udayan Maroo. Kindly provide your responses.

Dear friends,

Which is the accounting software which like an ERP provides beyond accounting for NGOs?

Best Regards.
Udayan Maroo

Posted in General | 3 Comments