AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF FINLAND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INDIA New Delhi, 14 June 1957 Whereas the Parliament of Finland has placed at the disposal of the Government of Finland funds to co-operate with the Republic of
India for promoting forestry as specified hereinafter, and Whereas the Governments of Finland and India believe that such co-operation
will strengthen the ties of frindship between Finland and India, The Government of Finland and India have decided to conclude an
agreement for the above purpose. Article 1 1. Within the terms of this agreement the preliminary arrangements being terminated and subject to the funds made available, the Government
of Finland will furnish assistance to India in the form of sending two experts to the area of river Beas and also if the existing
possibilities allow, to the conifer forests of the surrounding regions, to study and ascertain the possibilities of setting up forest
industries and the supply of raw material. 2. The Government of Finland shall place at the disposal of the Government of India four fellowships of 400,000 marks each for studies
in forestry in Finland for a period not exceeding 12 months. The fellowships shall be given to persons selected by the Government
of India subject to the approval of the Government of Finland. Article 2 1. In furtherance of the aforementioned purposes the Governm6nt of Finland agrees to the following : (a) to pay the salaries of the
two experts, (b) to pay the travel of the experts from their place of recruitment to *the point of entry into the recipient country and vice versa,
(c) to pay all the costs of any insurance provided for the experts sent by Finland, (d) to pay the expenses arising from the implementation
of the plan in Finland, (e) the Government of Finland may cover the travel expenses of the expert's wife in case she accompanies
her husband to India for a minimum stay of six months provided the actual duration of the expert's service in India exceeds six month.
2. In furtherance of the aforementioned purpose the Government of India agrees to the following : (a) While on official tour the experts
will be treated as First Grade Officers of the Government of India and will receive "daily allowance" at the rate of Rs.
15.00 or Rs. 12.50 depending on the rate applicable to the station where the expert stays and "travelling allowance" equal
to the actual first class rail or air fare plus an allowance at the rate or 12 pies per mile in case of rail travel or 1/5th of the
actual air fare in case of air travel, to cover the incidental expenses connected with the journey, (b) The Government of India will
either provide transport or bear the cost of transportation on duty (including a car allowance where the expert used his own car
for official purposes and the average minimum monthly mileage exceeds 300); trips between residence and office will not be regarded
as transport on duty, (c) To provide to the experts, at its own expense, adequate office facilities and equipment, (d) (i) To provide
local personnel services, technical and admin- strative as well as labour and including clerical, secretarial or other assistance
required by the expert to enable him to carry out his duties, (ii) To pay the cost of official communications, telephone, etc., (e)
To provide such equipment as may be needed. Article 3 The Government of India shall indemnify and hold harmless the Government of Finland and their experts against any and all liability
suits, actions, demands, damages, costs or fees on account of death, injuries to person or property, or any other losses resulting
directly from or connected with any act or omission in the course of performance of official duty under this Agreement. Article 4 1. The experts shall be exempt from payment of Indian Income tax. 2. In addition to the duty-free concessions available under the
normal Baggage Rules, the experts will be permitted to import without having to pay Customs Duty thereon, certain Household and Professional
effects (including one personal automobile) mentioned in Annexure I' on the condition that these articles will be exported back when
the experts leave India on completion of their assignments and if any of these articles are disposed of in India, Customs Duty originally
paid by the Government of India or other authorities concerned will be refunded to them by the experts. The procedure for clearance
of such articles from Customs will be that the Finnish Government will have the certificate at Annexure H2 executed by the experts
and forward it in quadruplicate to the Minstry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) who will forward necessary copies of it
to the concerned Customs Authorities asking them to pass the goods without charging the customs duty payable thereon from the experts
and raise the necessary debit on account of such duty against the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs). Article 5 1. The Government of India shall provide suitable accommodation appropriately furnished on the scale laid down for First Grade Officers
of the Government of India or if that is not possible, pay a contribution towards rent (rent allowance) of Rs. 15.00 per day. Questions
of "suitability" and the "appropriateness" of furnishing are to be decided in each case between representatives
of the two Governments, when rent allowance is payable to an expert at his headquarters, this will continue to be paid to him while
on tour, on sick leave, or on ordinary leave. 2. The Government of India shall provide for medical care and hospitalization of experts as for First Grade Officers of the Government
of India. Article 6 The Government of India will take all practicable measures to facilitate the activities of the experts and to assist the experts in
obtaining such services and facilities as may be required to carry on those activities. The experiments necessitated by the expert's
work will be carried out at the expense of the Government of India. This Agreement, which enters into force 14th day of June 1957,
has been done in two English copies at New Delhi, this day of 14th June, 1957. ' H.M. PATEL For the Government of the Republic of Finland: For the Government of the Republic of India: AARO PAKASLAHTI |