The drastic fall of the foreign funding of non-government organisations (NGOs) has become a major concern. Government informed the Parliament that the funding has come down from Rs 17,773 crore received from abroad in 2015-16 to only Rs 6,499 crore received in 2016-17.
The registrations of 18,868 NGOs under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act were cancelled by the home ministry between 2011 and 17 for violating laws, the Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju informed the Rajya Sabha.
Rijiju said, “The quantum of foreign funding received by NGOs in India in the last three years is: Rs 15,299 crore in 2014-15, Rs 17,773 crore in 2015-16 and Rs 6,499 crore in 2016-17.”
According to the sources, “Currently, 10,000 FCRA-registered NGOs are operating but the Centre has taken strict action against the NGOs which are flouting rules. The government feels that NGOs had been operating freely without any oversight for years and funds were misused so MHA decided to streamline the whole process and take action against the defaulters.”
Licence of 4,842 NGOs and organisations, including Indira Gandhi National Open University(Ignou) and Delhi’s Guru Tegh bahadur Khalsa College were recently cancelled for failing to file annual returns from 2010-11 to 2014-15 despite several reminders.
It is mandatory for an NGO or an organisation that has been granted licence under FCRA to file returns of its foreign contribution receipts and expenditure records on an annual basis. Home minister Rajnath Singh has emphasized on the need to streamline and modernise the online FCRA system and make all dealings transparent.
He has also asked officials manning the FCRA desk to ensure that no impression goes out regarding favouritism towards or attempts to target any NGO.
