Foreign funding to NGOs down to one-third following govt crackdown
In September this year, the government barred several prominent NGOs from receiving funds from foreign countries after they failed to file their annual returns for five consecutive years.
india Updated: Dec 21, 2017 07:23 IST
Foreign funding to India-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has witnessed a significant decline, coming down to one-third of the amount received during 2015-16, according to official figures released by the Union home ministry on Wednesday.
These NGOs received Rs 6,499 crore in 2016-17, as compared to Rs 17,773 crore in 2015-16. The amount received during 2014-15 was Rs 15,299 crore. This comes in the backdrop of a crackdown on NGOs by the Centre for violation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010.
Union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the government had cancelled the licences of 18,868 NGOs under the FCRA in the past six years, including 4,842 NGOs that lost their registration in 2017 alone. Over 1,300 NGOs were denied renewal of their registration during this period.
In September this year, the government barred several prominent NGOs from receiving funds from foreign countries after they failed to file their annual returns for five consecutive years. The ministry has also directed NGOs across the country to validate the bank accounts in which they receive foreign funds, failure of which will invite punitive action.In a circular issued earlier this year, the MHA had said all NGOs registered under FCRA should receive foreign donations in a single designated bank account.