IndiaCSR News Network
NEW DELHI: After suspending the FCRA registration of Greenpeace India and putting foreign donor Ford Foundation on the watchlist, the government has now cancelled the licences of 8,975 NGOs for failing to file annual returns for the years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.
In a cancellation order issued on Sunday, the Union home ministry recalled that it had issued notices to 10,343 NGOs on October 16, 2014, stating that they should file their annual returns within a month, specifying amount of foreign funds received, sources of such funds, the purpose for which these were received and the manner in which such foreign contribution was utilized. However, only 229 NGOs reverted to the home ministry. Their replies are being examined on case to case basis.
“No reply has been received from the remaining associations numbering 8975,” said the home ministry order communicated to the NGOs, district magistrates of the concerned districts where the NGOs are based and RBI.
“..in exercise of the power conferred by Section 14 of the FCRA 2010, the Central government hereby cancels, for violation of Section 18 thereof, read with Rule 17(2) of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rule, 2011, the certificate of registration of 8975 associations…which includes 510 associations to whom notices were sent but returned undelivered and 632 associations from whom no reply has been received to the notices within the stipulated period,” said the order. (Times of India)
Ban of foreign funding NGOs
According to a report, in March 2015, India government banned 30 NGOs, ostensibly engaged in welfare of minorities, from receiving foreign funds after adverse reports about their activities from intelligence agencies. These are part of 69 NGOs which have been prohibited by the government from receiving foreign funds under Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA).
Andhra Pradesh accounted for most of these ‘dubious’ NGOs followed by Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Of the 14 NGOs blacklisted by the home ministry in Andhra Pradesh, eight are engaged in minority welfare. While seven of these are Christian institutions, one is an Islamic education association.
Of the 12 NGOs banned in Tamil Nadu, four are Christian organizations while one is Islamic. In Gujarat, of the five organizations banned, all except one is engaged in Muslim welfare.
Across the country, 15 organizations each engaged in Muslim and Christian welfare have been banned from receiving foreign funds. The information was shared by minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju in reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Home ministry regularly reviews and audits flow of funds in NGOs from abroad and issues notices to those not filing their returns properly. It also initiates action against those not following FCRA regulations while receiving foreign funds and blacklists those suspected to be working against the interests of the country. NGOs in India receive foreign donations in excess of Rs 10,000 crore annually from over 150 countries with the US and Europe being top donors apart from United Arab Emirates.
Registrations of 4,138 associations under FCRA were cancelled for non-submission of annual returns from 2006-07 to 2008-09. Among these, Tamil Nadu accounted for the maximum NGOs (794) followed by Andhra Pradesh (670) and Kerala (450).
More than 31,000 NGOs were served notices by the government for not filing annual returns on their foreign donations. In 2011-12, notices were sent to 21,493 associations which had not submitted annual returns under FCRA for the years 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09. In 2014, notices were issued to 10,343 associations which had not filed annual returns from 2009-10 to 2011-12.
Rijiju had earlier informed Parliament that adverse reports were received from intelligence agencies against NGOs such as Tuticorin Diocesan Association; East Coast Research and Development Trust, Thoothukudi; Centre for Promotion and Social Concerns, Madurai and Greenpeace India Society, Chennai.
