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Statutes
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Preamble:
The Karnataka Capuchin Province has established a registered
trust called, Vimukti Charitable Trust for social service and
developmental activities in the Province. The goals and
objectives of this trust are to be attained in a systematic and
cohesive manner. For this purpose the Province shall establish
in a suitable place a well furnished central office to plan,
coordinate and supervise all the programmes and the activities.
The Statutes are applicable to all the Friars of the Province
who are involved in this ministry. So that all the Programmes
function effectively and achieve the expected goals and
objectives. These Statutes are to be read along with the
Constitutions of the Order and also the Statutes of the
Province.
The Province so far had a Commission for Justice - Peace and
Ecology. The Terms of Reference of the Commission have been
integrated into the Statutes so that there will not be
discrepancy between the two.
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Vision
Statement:
A Society rooted in the Gospel values of love, justice,
peace and respect for life and environment.
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Mission:
To create a just society where all receive equal
opportunities for development and growth, where all have equal
share in the resources of the earth and where every ones human
dignity is respected.
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Objectives:
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To plan,
organize, and streamline the Social service and development
ministry in the Province.
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To provide a
forum for friars involved in social action ministry to come
together, share their experiences and plan social welfare
activities as a team.
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To conscientise
people and create awareness regarding their rights and
obligations.
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To help the
poor, the exploited and the oppressed to overcome their
plight and consistently strive after the realization of
their potentialities.
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To organize
training programmes and activities in order to create a just
society founded on peace and respect for life and
environment.
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To attain
financial self sufficiency and sustainability for all the
programmes and activities of VCT.
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To propose
personnel who can be trained to continue the ministry of
social action in the province.
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Principles of
Orientation:
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Fraternity as
Basis: All the activities of Vimukti in the Province are
basically founded on local fraternity. The Brothers involved
in social action integrate themselves within the fraternity
and the activities should be an expression of fraternal
capuchin charism. They should try their best to be present
for the all programmes of the fraternity as much possible.
They should share and discuss Vimukti programmes with the
fraternity and generally important long range action-plans
are drawn in consultation with the fraternity local
chapters.
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Team Work: This
is an extended aspect of the former. All those who are
involved in the Vimukti action should plan and organize
their programmes as a team in consultation with the central
office. Local administrative board is instituted for this
purpose, which should build up and strengthen this aspect of
tem work.
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Nomenclature:
VCT : Vimukti Charitable Trust
CPK : Capuchin Province of Karnataka
PMD : Provincial Minister and his Definitory.
BT : Board of Trustees of Vimukti Charitable Trust
PM : Provincial Minister of the Capuchin Province of Karnataka.
VCO : Vimukti Central Office.
ED : Executive Director i.e., The Director of Vimukti Central
Office
DLU : Director of Local Unit.
LAB : Local Administrative Board.
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The Board of
Trustees:
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The Provincial
Minister of CPK is the President/Chairperson and the
Convener. The Administrator/Province Secretary of the CPK is
the Secretary and the Executive Director is the Treasurer of
VCT. The other members of the Board are: the Directors of
Local Units, the Provincial Treasurer and the signatories to
the original Vimukti Trust Deed.
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The Board of
Trustees constitutes the Governing Body of the Vimukti
Charitable Trust. The reports of the meetings are to be made
available for the scrutiny of the civil authorities.
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The meeting
takes place at least twice in a year. The Secretary sends
intimation a month in advance after consulting the Chairman.
The Agenda is prepared by the Secretary in consultation with
the President and sent to the members along with the
intimation. The President shall send his depute if he is not
able to attend the meeting.
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The Board of
Trustees plans all programmes, projects, and activities of
the VCT in all its units in order to fulfill the objectives
of the VCT.
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It also
functions in the province as JPE commission and the terms of
reference of JPE Commission are taken up for implementation
by the Board.
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It studies the
audited balance sheet and proposes means to strengthen
financial position of the trust.
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It is a forum
to discuss plans, share experiences of failure and success
and build up a team spirit among brothers involved in Social
action ministry.
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It is also a
forum to submit reports of the local units, evaluate its
functioning and to resolve any conflicts, problems and
difficulties.
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The Board
fulfills all the civil requirements essential for the
efficient administration of the VCT before the Government.
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The minutes of
the meetings are submitted to the PMD with a separate letter
requesting for permissions in cases stipulated under § 8
below.
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The Role of PMD:
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To Supervise
and direct the general working of the VCT.
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To appoint the
Directors of the Central Office and also of the other units.
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To appoint
Asst. Directors and accountants if needed.
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Responsible to
implement the Statutes.
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To appoint
signatories to Bank Accounts of VCT.
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To grant
permissions for the items listed § 11 below.
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The Central
Office:
The Central office is managed by the Executive Director
appointed by PMD. The Central office which is located at a place
determined by PMD has following functions.
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It plans,
coordinates and interconnects the activities of all the
units. Works for the realization of the objectives of the
VCT.
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It gives basic
orientation to all programmes and projects.
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Conducts
interviews and admits personnel and also issues Appointment
Letters. The Executive Director is the Appointing Authority
for all the employees.
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Responsible to
execute and implement Service Rules for all the employees of
VCT..
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Supervises the
implementation of Provident Fund and other schemes for the
employees.
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To organizes
training programmes for all personnel involved in Vimukti
programmes.
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It provides
legal and logistic support.
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It forwards the
projects/ programmes prepared by the local units to the
funding agencies.
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It supervises
the execution of programmes and verifies the reports
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It
creates team spirit, cohesiveness and discipline among all
personnel of Vimukti.
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It supervises
the financial management through internal auditing.
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It proposes new
programmes and new units and plans generation of the
finances for the same.
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The Local
Administrative Board
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Members: The
Executive Director is the Chairperson and convener. DLU,
Local Superior of the Fraternity and the Assistant Director
if any are the members of the LAB.
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If there is
need any other office bearer (like local coordinator,
representative of central office, accountant, etc) can be
invited to attend any particular meetings with the
permission of the chairperson.
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The LAB meeting
takes place generally once in four months (three times in a
year), but it can also be convened whenever situation calls
for such a meeting.
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The intimation
along with the provisional agenda is sent to the members at
least a week in advance by the Convener.
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All the local
programmes, projects and activities are discussed and
evaluated from all angles and relevant steps are proposed
for effective implementation and execution of the same.
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This is also a
forum to plan new projects and to discuss the viability and
continuity of the existing ones.
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It proposes
personnel for employment, plans interviews if necessary and
evaluates the performance of already employed. It determines
their salary, proposes means for their welfare, and plans
training methods for them so that programmes and activities
could be more efficiently carried on.
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The LAB
considers the financial matters (local budgets, auditor's
reports etc) in detail.
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Tries to
resolve conflicts, difficulties, problems arising from any
direction.
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The LAB meeting
is an opportunity for the Executive Director to check all
the documents, projects correspondence, reports,. Books of
accounts, vouchers etc.
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The minutes of
the LAB meetings are maintained by the DLU locally and
submitted to the Provincial Minister during the Pastoral
Visitation.
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Approvals and
permissions:
The LAB and the Executive Director should seek prior
permission in writing for the following from the PMD:
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To open or
close down any bank account of VCT.
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To change the
signatories of bank accounts of VCT.
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To apply for
any loan from the bank or from any other sources.
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To initiate
negotiation for any immovable assets of any kind: like
giving on rent any premises or taking on rent any premises
etc.
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To initiate
negotiations in order to sell or purchase any land.
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To establish
any new units of social work.
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To purchase any
vehicle.
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To invest on
bonds, stock market or in any such agencies..
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Duties and
Responsibilities of the Executive Director:
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The Executive
Director is in charge of the entire ministry of social
service programmes and development activities in the
Province.
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He is also in
charge of the Vimukti Central Office and through it he
organizes and animates the social welfare activities in a
cohesive manner and sees that it is carried out in a Team
Spirit.
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He is generally
the Treasurer of the Governing Body of VCT - which is to be
confirmed by PMD.
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He is a liaison
between the Provincial Definitory and the Local units. He is
co- responsible along with the Secretary to submit the
reports of Board Trustee meetings to the Definitory.
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He is
responsible to convoke LAB meetings and see that all units
run efficiently and systematically. He presides over the LAB
Meetings.
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He plans
training programmes for all personnel involved in VCT
locally and also at the centre.
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He is
responsible for the maintenance of all the documents of VCT
and also of all the programmes at the respective Units.
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He is
responsible to maintain discipline, punctuality and decorum
in the office.
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He is
responsible to give letters of appointments to all employees
of VCT and also the letters of termination. He should follow
all the norms of labour law meticulously (see service
rules).
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He is also
responsible for the welfare of the employees, for provident
fund etc.
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He visits the
units whenever there is some conflict, unexpected crisis
etc. and tries to resolve the issues.
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He checks and
supervises all the documents (project reports,
correspondence etc. ) and the books of accounts during the
LAB Meeting.
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He helps
individual units to write and forward new projects to
funding agencies.
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He is
responsible for planning the sustainability of the projects.
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He is one of
the signatory for the central account. The other two are
appointed by the PMD. He shall maintain the books of
accounts of the accounts. He shall also get the accounts VCT
duly audited.
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He should
observe the statutes and service rules diligently.
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He can have an
assistant director, appointed by the PMD.
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The Duties and
responsibilities of the Director of Local Units:
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He is
responsible to organize, animate and execute the programmes,
and projects at the local level.
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He visits the
sites of the projects regularly and supervises the
implementation personally.
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He is in charge
of all the personnel working under him and sees to their
welfare. - grants casual leave etc.
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He should also
maintain discipline and punctuality among the employees
under him.
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He is fully
responsible for the right use of funds received for each
project. He can have an accountant who will maintain all
books of accounts up to date. He should get all the local
accounts duly audited.
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He is also
responsible for preparing all projects reports and to do all
correspondence with the funding agencies. He can take the
help of the central office for this purpose.
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The certain
percentages - as decided by PMD - of his allowance shall go
to the maintenance of the central office and also the local
fraternity.
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He maintains
the Register of the minutes of the LAB meeting and presents
it to the Provincial Minister during the Pastoral
Visitation.
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He is one of
the signatories of the local account of VCT. The other two
are appointed by the PMD.
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He shall esteem
high the Local Fraternity and shall present reports of his
activities to local chapters and takes active part in daily
horarium and programmes of the fraternity to the extent
possible.
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He shall
observe the Statutes and the Service Rules diligently.
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Financial
Management:
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The Board of
Trustees are responsible to generate funds for VCT and
manage these funds in a prudent and efficient way. All the
funds are administered under VCT.
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All the bank
accounts of VCT shall have three signatories nominated by
the PMD. Any two of them shall sign all cheques and
transactions.
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If there is
need to have Bank Accounts other than VCT, the ED and DLU
shall administer them by appointing proper signatories.(see
10.6 below).
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The Foreign
contribution accounts should never be mixed up with local
accounts. Both must have separate bank account numbers and
separate books of accounts.
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The funds of
Central Office are used under the direction of the Executive
Director. And the funds of the local units are used under
the direction of the DLU.
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There should be
a qualified accountant in each unit to maintain the books of
account. The accountant himself should not be the signatory
of any bank accounts.
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All the
accounts are to be duly audited at the end of financial year
and consolidated under VCT. The Balance sheet is submitted
to the following Board of Trustee meeting.
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The internal
auditing is done by the Central office of all the local
units once a year.
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Conclusion:
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All the friars
involved in the Vimukti ministry need to pay supreme
attention to public relations. They should take all
complaints from employees or from public with due
seriousness and respect. No disrespect in any manner should
be shown to any one (namely to the beneficiaries or
employees). This is of utmost importance to preserve and
promote the good name of the Organisation we represent
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The Friars are
exhorted to desist from involving in any manner with the
employees or beneficiaries of the place from where they have
been transferred. With true Franciscan spirit of brotherhood
they are requested to desire sincerely the welfare of the
Unit they worked for, and support the undertakings of the
new person appointed in that place.
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The Friars
involved in the social welfare ministry need to be conscious
of their noble task in the society. They represent the
public face of our Capuchin Order to people they serve. They
need to be persons of great example and emulation to all,
very specially to the employees and the beneficiaries.
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