President Pranab Mukherjee will give away the National Communal Harmony Awards Friday for 2011 and 2012.

 

 An individual and an organisation would receive the awards, an official release said Thursday.

 

 An eminent jury, headed by the vice president of India, selects the winners.

 

 The awards consist of a citation each and a cash amount of Rs.2 lakh for an individual and Rs.5 lakh for an organisation.

 

 In exceptional and deserving cases, more than one winner can be chosen in a given year in each category. 

 

 Till date, the award has been conferred on 11 individuals and 10 organisations.

 

 The awards were instituted by the National Foundation for Communal Harmony, established as an autonomous organisation in 1992 to promote communal harmony and strengthen national integration.

 

 The foundation provides assistance for physical and psychological rehabilitation of child victims of communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence with special emphasis on their care, education and training to enable them to merge with the mainstream of the nation and become responsible and productive citizens, a release said.

 

 IANS