Renewal licenses to Indian NGOs declined

In allegations of activities not in favour of national interests, 25 Indian NGOs lose foreign funding licence under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act 2010. Several others lose license renewal for failing to apply within deadline.

Under the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act (FCRA), 2010, the union home ministry declined to renew the registration of 25 NGOs for their alleged participation in “activities not conducive to national interest”.

FCRA licences of 11,319 NGOs were cancelled as a result of their failure in applying for renewal within the deadline. The FCRA licence renewal of another 1,736 NGOs was with held “for non-submission of documents or deficient documents or other statutory shortcoming within the stipulated time”. After the shortcomings are explained by these NGOs, a final call on approving the renewal of the FCRA registration will be taken.

As a result, the total number of NGOs in India being granted foreign funding fell to 20,000 from 33,158.

While union home ministry officials were reluctant in revealing the identity of the 25 NGOs erased from the foreign funding list, some names from the list of the 11,000 NGOs whose FCRA registrations have been cancelled are out. The ones who did not apply for renewal in time and are now facing the consequences include Oxfam India Trust, Adani Foundation,  Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Trust, Office of the Chief Executive Officer of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, Indian Medical Association, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Mumbai-based Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre and The Loyola College Society, Chennai.

According to a senior officer from the ministry, out of the total 33,138 NGOs registered under the FCRA, renewal of 27,810 NGOs was due this year. These were also directed by the government in March, to submit applications for renewal by June 30, 2016 while the validity of their licences was extended to October 31, 2016.

Of the 16,491 FCRA renewal applications received by the government, 14,730 NGOs were found in order while 1,761 NGOs were passed for renewal. The applications of the remaining 25 NGOs were rejected despite complete documentation following allegations of them working against “national interest”, as found by the government.

“NGOs that are not serving larger national interest or indulging in subversive activities should not be allowed foreign funding,” said a senior home ministry officer. The officer also stated that the 11,319 NGOs which did not bother to apply for renewal “were history as far as FCRA was concerned”.