FCRA

The Centre on Friday extended the validity of the FCRA registration of non-governmental organisations, the renewal applications of which are pending, till September 30. In a public notice, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the validity of the registration of those FCRA entities whose validity had been extended till March 31, 2023 and whose renewal application is pending, will stand extended up to September 30, 2023 or till the date of disposal of renewal application, whichever is earlier. It also said that the validity of those entities which were registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and whose five year validity period is expiring during April 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023, but have applied for will apply for renewal before expiry of the five year validity period, will stand extended up to September 30, 2023 or till the disposal of the renewal application -- whichever is earlier. "All FCRA registered associations are therefore, advised to take note .

The government has cancelled FCRA registration of 1,827 NGOs for violation of laws in the last five years, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said on Wednesday. Rai told Rajya Sabha that Section 32 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 provides for revision by the central government of any order passed in a proceeding against any association registered under the Act. During 2018 to 2022, the FCRA registration certificates of 1,827 associations have been cancelled due to violation of the provisions of the Act and rules, he said in a written reply. There were 16,383 FCRA-registered organisations as on March 10, 2023.

According to the report, officials said that CPR's licence was revoked recently over non-compliance with FCRA norms.

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the Centre's stand on a petition by NGO Oxfam India against non-renewal of its licence under the law pertaining to foreign contributions. Justice Prathiba M Singh issued notice on the organisation's petition and asked the central government to respond to the plea as well as an application seeking interim relief of stay in four weeks. "In the reply, the reason for non-renewal shall be elaborated," the judge said. Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma said that the government will file its reply and it will have "sensitive information". The senior law officer said while the organisation has received funds from UNICEF, it has does perform "child welfare" work. Senior advocate Ramesh Singh, appearing for the petitioner, said that functioning of the organisation has been hampered and it ought to be permitted to use a sum of Rs 21 crore received by it when the registration was still valid. He also said the funds from UNICEF were received for .

No one can capture an inch of land till the Narendra Modi government is in power, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday as the opposition demanded a discussion on clashes between Indian and Chinese forces along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh. Addressing reporters outside Parliament House, Shah said the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) was cancelled as it allegedly got Rs 1.35 crore from the Chinese Embassy. Shah also claimed that the Foundation headed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi received Rs 50 lakh from Zakir Naik, founder of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), which was banned by the government for its alleged involvement in terrorism. On the border issue, the minister made it clear that the "BJP government will not allow any incursion on land. We will not leave an inch of land. The bravery shown by soldiers is appreciable, they have saved our land". Shah said Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted by the ...

The Union Home Ministry has released a list of 117 United Nations bodies and other international organisations whose contribution to Indian entities will not be covered under the stringent Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, officials said. Indian organisations receiving foreign funds are mandatorily registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 and they must have a special account at a designated branch of the State Bank of India in New Delhi. According to a home ministry document, the UN agencies and other international bodies and organisations "to be not covered" by the definition of "foreign source" under the FCRA include the UN System's Secretariat, Office of Internal Oversight Services, Department of Political Affairs, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Department for General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services. The United Nations Office at Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Geneva, Office of th

The BJP on Sunday welcomed the cancellation of the FCRA licences of two NGOs headed by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and said the Gandhi family and organisations linked to them can't be above law. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that the home ministry's decision to cancel the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act licences of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) for alleged violation of laws has "exposed" their corruption. He also hit out at the RGF for receiving donations from controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, the Chinese embassy and the Chinese government besides several people accused of corruption charges, including Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor, when the Congress-led UPA was in power. The Modi government has acted in accordance with the law and the Constitution, he said, adding that no one had the courage to act against the likes of Naik, who is facing probe on terror charges and fled India when the UPA was in ...

An official notification said the revision application can be filed within a year from the date on which the order in question was communicated to the aggrieved NGO registered under the FCRA.

ED alleged that London-based Amnesty International sent huge sum of foreign contribution to its Indian entities, during Nov 2013-June 2018 in ''guise of business activities,'' to escape FCRA scrutiny

FCRA relaxations offer only partial relief

The govt also said if the amount exceeds, the individuals will now have 90 days to inform the government instead of 30 days earlier.

Among those, there are two amendments in rule 6 by substituting the words "one lakh rupees" with the words "ten lakh rupees"; and the words "thirty days" with the words "three months"

CBI carrying out major countrywide operation at 40 locations against MHA officials, NGOs for facilitating alleged FCRA violations

Registration under the FCRA is must for any NGO to receive funds from abroad

This came in a reply to the question of whether the government has cancelled licenses of NGOs which failed to comply with revised guidelines.

About 5,8000 NGOs, which did not submit their applications for renewal of FCRA registration, deemed to have ceased to exist according to law. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai also said in Lok Sabha that FCRA registration of a total of 1,811 NGOs have been cancelled during the last three years - from 2019 to 2021. "About 5,800 FCRA registered associations had not submitted their applications for renewal within stipulated time in accordance with the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. FCRA registration of these associations has thus been deemed to have ceased as per section 12 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010," he said in a written reply to a question. Rai said in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has given certain relaxations to NGOs so that welfare programmes and Covid-related relief works are not affected. The relaxations include extension till December 31, 2021 the validity of registration certificate of NGOs

The bech said the petitioners are free to make representation to the concerned authorities which may be considered on its merits in accordance with law

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act registration is mandatory for any association and NGO to receive foreign funding.

An MHA official said that with the restoration of the FCRA licence, the Kolkata-based famed organisation will be able to receive foreign fundings and can also spend the money lying in the banks

FCRA policy should benefit from transparency