Projects will be sanctioned only to universities, institutions where basic infrastructure in the form of equipment / personnel for the work exist. A grant for the purchase of special equipment / stores will be made only if
- The said equipment stores are exclusively required for the project in hand.
- The university / institution concerned will not normally provide them for their departmental work.
Purchase of components / equipment involving foreign exchange will be permitted only in very special cases. The necessity for such equipment should be clearly indicated while submitting the proposal. The cost of maintenance of these equipments would be met by AR&DB till the completion of the project. Thereafter, it would be the responsibility of the grantee institution / the agency to which equipment is transferred.
For smooth and expeditious execution of the project, arrangements can however be made for the use by the investigators of such specialized equipment as are available in the various R&D establishments to the extent possible.
The university, college or the institution concerned will be responsible for careful custody and maintenance of the equipment purchased out of the grant. Equipment should be purchased on competitive tender basis. Proper stock of accounts should be maintained for the equipment purchased. The equipment should be stamped Aeronautics R&D Project No. All equipments purchased should be serially numbered. An inventory of the equipment purchased out of the grant should be sent to the Secretary, Aeronautics R&D Board in form GFR 19 along with the periodical reports in 20 copies. The inventory should give the description of the equipment (whether expendable or non-expendable), its cost in rupees, date and purchase and the name of the supplier. The stock registers maintained by the institution / universities for the purpose should be shown to the auditors for applying the necessary check with reference to the grant received. The auditors should be requested to issue a certificate that necessary check has been made and the inventory is found to be in order. The inventory and the requisite certificate from the auditor should be furnished along with the audited accounts. The equipment / surplus stores will be the property of the Aeronautics R&D Board who will be responsible for its future transfer / disposal after the termination of the project. The Board at the written request of the grantee institution may agree to out-right transfer of some or all equipment of the AR&DB inventory to the institution concerned based on the recommendations of the concerned panel. The Secretary, on behalf of the board, may agree to such out-right transfers up to a ceiling of Rs 10 lakhs. Chairman may approve transfer of equipment beyond this amount.