JOIN USNoose tightens around NGOs receiving foreign funds
NGOs are not finding it easy to garner foreign funds under Narendra Modi government as it is going slow on granting them permission to collect donations from abroad.
The number of organisations that received permission under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) 2010 has dwindled by more than 50% last year.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), while 757 applications for registration to receive foreign funds were cleared in 2014, the number has come down to 319 in 2015. Similarly, the grant prior permission provision to receive foreign donations came down to 31 last year from 135 the previous year. This year only one application has been cleared by the Ministry.
Since 2013, the Foreigners Division of MHA had received 8,111 applications seeking registration under FCRA 2010 to accept foreign funds. Of this, the government so far rejected 3,051 cases while accepting 2,248 applications. The figures showed 2,812 cases are still pending with the Division.
Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told Parliament earlier this month that the applications are processed in consultation with security agencies and other ministries and departments.
The Modi government had taken on NGOs on alleged misuse of foreign funding. It had cancelled the registration of Greenpeace India while Teesta Setalvad’s NGO is facing trouble. Ford Foundation also found itself in trouble for some time.
A close look at the statistics showed that there is a dip in number in applications over years as well as those getting the clearance. At the same time, the number of rejections also increased.
While the number of rejections in 2013 was 1,169, it rose to 1,296 in 2014. The figure was 586 last year while the pending cases rose to 1,252.
Pending list
This year, till April 28, the government received 757 applications and cleared only one while keeping other cases under pending list.
Similar is the case with prior permission clause. The number of applications cleared is decreasing – 175 in 2013, 135 in 2014 and 31 in 2015. This year, only one out of 116 prior permission pleas was allowed so far.