NGOs in India raked in Rs 88,882 crore from foreign donors in last 5 years | India News
NEW DELHI: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across the country received foreign contributions worth Rs 88,882 crore between 2017-18 and 2021-22. This is the period that witnessed a crackdown on NGOs allegedly violating provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, with the Act itself being made more stringent.
On Wednesday, the home ministry, in reply to a two separate questions in the Rajya Sabha, shared that foreign funding of NGOs across the country has steadily risen to Rs 22,085 crore in 2021-22 from Rs 17,059 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 16,306 crore in 2019-20, notwithstanding the cancellation of registration of 1,827 NGOs under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act between 2018 and 2022.
The home ministry had, while replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on March 24, 2021, disclosed that in 2018-19, total foreign receipts of NGOs and associations in India stood at Rs 16,491 crore, only marginally less than the Rs 16,941-crore inflow in 2017-18. MoS Nityanand Rai had in December 2022 also told the Rajya Sabha that FCRA licence of 6,677 NGOs was cancelled between 2017 and 2021. Yet, over the five years between 2017-18 and 2021-22 — during which the action initiated against many NGOs for alleged violation of FCRA and tightening of FCRA law had led to criticism about NGOs being targeted by the Narendra Modi government — NGOs in India received a total foreign funding of Rs 88,882 crore.
Rai, replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, further shared that FCRA registration certificate of 16,383 NGOs and associations was valid as on 10/03/2023. Of these, 14,966 associations have submitted mandatory annual returns under FCRA for FY 2021-22. “Some complaints had been received in the past regarding misutilization or diversion of foreign contributions by the FCRA registered Associations. Such complaints are dealt as per provisions of the (FCRA) Act and rules,” he stated.
Rai said that since November 2021, the home ministry had revised its order of “deemed suspension” served on two prominent NGOs, the Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata, associated with Mother Teresa and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) that was moved from the ‘prior permission’ list to the list of associations duly registered under FCRA.
A statewise break up foreign funds receipts shows NGOs based in Delhi with the highest receipts in all the three years, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22. Karnataka emerged as the second largest recipient in 2021-22, displacing Tamil Nadu that had the highest foreign receipts in 2019-20 and 2020-21. While Maharashtra consistently maintained its position on the fourth spot, NGOs registered in Gujarat got the fifth highest receipts in 2021-22, as against the seventh rank it had occupied in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
On Wednesday, the home ministry, in reply to a two separate questions in the Rajya Sabha, shared that foreign funding of NGOs across the country has steadily risen to Rs 22,085 crore in 2021-22 from Rs 17,059 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 16,306 crore in 2019-20, notwithstanding the cancellation of registration of 1,827 NGOs under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act between 2018 and 2022.
The home ministry had, while replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on March 24, 2021, disclosed that in 2018-19, total foreign receipts of NGOs and associations in India stood at Rs 16,491 crore, only marginally less than the Rs 16,941-crore inflow in 2017-18. MoS Nityanand Rai had in December 2022 also told the Rajya Sabha that FCRA licence of 6,677 NGOs was cancelled between 2017 and 2021. Yet, over the five years between 2017-18 and 2021-22 — during which the action initiated against many NGOs for alleged violation of FCRA and tightening of FCRA law had led to criticism about NGOs being targeted by the Narendra Modi government — NGOs in India received a total foreign funding of Rs 88,882 crore.
Rai, replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, further shared that FCRA registration certificate of 16,383 NGOs and associations was valid as on 10/03/2023. Of these, 14,966 associations have submitted mandatory annual returns under FCRA for FY 2021-22. “Some complaints had been received in the past regarding misutilization or diversion of foreign contributions by the FCRA registered Associations. Such complaints are dealt as per provisions of the (FCRA) Act and rules,” he stated.
Rai said that since November 2021, the home ministry had revised its order of “deemed suspension” served on two prominent NGOs, the Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata, associated with Mother Teresa and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) that was moved from the ‘prior permission’ list to the list of associations duly registered under FCRA.
A statewise break up foreign funds receipts shows NGOs based in Delhi with the highest receipts in all the three years, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22. Karnataka emerged as the second largest recipient in 2021-22, displacing Tamil Nadu that had the highest foreign receipts in 2019-20 and 2020-21. While Maharashtra consistently maintained its position on the fourth spot, NGOs registered in Gujarat got the fifth highest receipts in 2021-22, as against the seventh rank it had occupied in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
