MHA tightens rules for foreign donation, record FCRA licenses canceled
The Union Home Ministry in consultation with other stakeholders is further tightening the flow of funds from abroad. It has found linkages of many NGOs and institutions operating in India with the donor institutions in foreign countries. It discovered that money flowed like water to some of the Indian NGOs and hence the crackdown. It is in this backdrop that nearly 7,000 licenses of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) were canceled until December 2022. The massive crackdown indicates that to block free flow of foreign funds into India to create disaffection.
Data released by the MHA suggested that Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra figure among the states where the highest number of FCRA were canceled until December 2022. Of the 7000-odd licenses were canceled by the Union Home Ministry during the last five years, 755 FCRA licenses were canceled in Tamil Nadu while Maharashtra was a shade behind with 734 NGOs and institutions. UP was no less with 635 cancellations and Andhra Pradesh (622), West Bengal (611), Odisha (417) and Bihar (441) also faced the wrath of the Home Ministry.
As per MHA sources, there were 22,762 FCRA-registered organisations till December-end 2021 and they were supposed to renew their licenses under the new dispensation. As per records, NGOs like Oxfam India and the Oxfam India Trust, Jamia Millia Islamia, the Indian Medical Association, the Leprosy Mission, the Tuberculosis Association Of India, the Indira Gandhi National Centre For Arts and the India Islamic Cultural Centre did not apply for FCRA licenses and the same were canceled. The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust are also included in the list. The MHA 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 FCRA.
