18,377 NGOs opened SBI accounts to receive foreign funds after amendment in FCRA: Government

NEW DELHI: A total 18,377 designated FCRA accounts had been opened in the State Bank of India’s New Delhi main branch by NGOs as on July 31, 2021 to exclusively receive foreign funds, the home ministry said on Wednesday. This is in compliance with the provisions of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act 2020 passed last year.
MoS (home) Nityanand Rai, in reply to a written question in the Rajya Sabha, also informed the Rajya Sabha that NGOs and associations registered under FCRA had received Rs 15,853 crore from foreign donors in 2019-20, down from Rs 16,525 crore in 2018-19 and Rs 16,940 crore in 2017-18.
There are 22,708 active NGOs and associations registered under FCRA as on date. Of this, over 80% have opened the designated FCRA account in SBI’s main New Delhi branch.
While FCRA was amended in September last year, requiring all NGOs registered under FCRA to open a dedicated account in the SBI’s New Delhi main branch to receive foreign funds, they were allowed to receive foreign funds in their old FCRA accounts till June 30, 2021, in view of Covid-19 as well as to ensure smooth transition to the amended FCRA regime.
Receipt of foreign donations in SBI, New Delhi Main Branch has been made mandatory only from July 1 onwards, said Rai.
The junior minister, in reply to a different question, informed that the FCRA licences of a total 21,261 NGOs were renewed between 2016 and 2021 (till August 4).