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MHA cancels FCRA licences of five NGOs. Here's why
The ministry has maintained the stance that any organisation found violating any provisions of the FCRA will face action
The ministry of home affairs has cancelled the foreign contribution registration act (FCRA) licences of five non-government organisations including Church of North India (CNI-SBSS) for alleged violation of the foreign funding law, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday.
To be sure, the cancellation of CNI Synodical Board of Social Service (CNI-SBSS) FCRA licence had taken place a few weeks back.
Other NGOs whose foreign funding licences have been revoked include Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), Indo-Global Social Service Society (IGSSS), Church Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), and Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFOI), said officials who didn’t want to be named.
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The ministry has maintained the stance that any organisation found violating any provisions of the FCRA will face action.
Earlier this year, the licence of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) was also cancelled.
The Centre has tightened the FCRA since 2020 by making several amendments and even cancelling licences of various NGOs, including Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT), and Centre for Policy Research (CPR), in the last few years accusing them of violating the law.
The FCRA unit of the MHA carried out inspections or audits of at least 335 NGOs and associations registered or granted prior permission under FCRA between 2019 and 2022 to see if foreign funding rules were being followed by them.
The FCRA Act, which was amended in September 2020, barred public servants from receiving foreign funding and made Aadhaar mandatory for every office-bearer of the NGOs.
The amended law also bars organisations from using more than 20% of foreign funds for administrative purposes. The limit was hitherto 50%.
