India plans to tighten rules on non-governmental organisations despite intense lobbying by western nations, opposition parties and Christian churches that say the move could threaten thousands of schools, hospitals, places of worship and humanitarian projects.
Legal amendments drawn up by India’s government would give a new agency power to confiscate foreign-funded land, buildings or other assets belonging to organisations whose mandatory official registration was cancelled or not renewed.
The government on Wednesday rejected opposition demands to withdraw its amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), but stopped short of forcing a vote on the bill. The amendments were instead referred to a joint committee that will review them and potentially recommend changes in time for parliament’s winter session.
India has repeatedly dismissed pleas from European nations, US lawmakers, churches and opposition parties to soften or scrap the bill, which it argues is needed to ensure proper scrutiny of foreign-funded projects. It says many countries have increased oversight of NGOs in recent years amid concerns about covert foreign influence operations.
“Rather than restricting legitimate charitable activities, the Act provides a legal framework that enables genuine international co-operation while ensuring that foreign contributions are received, utilised and accounted for in accordance with Indian law,” the government’s Press Information Bureau said.
India has one of the world’s largest NGO sectors. About 600,000 active non-profit organisations are registered with the government’s Darpan portal, where they can access grants or seek permission to receive foreign donations.
Authorities already have sweeping powers over NGOs. Charities must register to receive foreign funds and state the purpose for which they will be used.
Springbokking on
Fair enough. That Qatari money has been hitting folks like crack globally.
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India plans to tighten rules on non-governmental organisations despite intense lobbying by western nations, opposition parties and Christian churches that say the move could threaten thousands of schools, hospitals, places of worship and humanitarian projects.
Legal amendments drawn up by India’s government would give a new agency power to confiscate foreign-funded land, buildings or other assets belonging to organisations whose mandatory official registration was cancelled or not renewed.
The government on Wednesday rejected opposition demands to withdraw its amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), but stopped short of forcing a vote on the bill. The amendments were instead referred to a joint committee that will review them and potentially recommend changes in time for parliament’s winter session.
India has repeatedly dismissed pleas from European nations, US lawmakers, churches and opposition parties to soften or scrap the bill, which it argues is needed to ensure proper scrutiny of foreign-funded projects. It says many countries have increased oversight of NGOs in recent years amid concerns about covert foreign influence operations.
“Rather than restricting legitimate charitable activities, the Act provides a legal framework that enables genuine international co-operation while ensuring that foreign contributions are received, utilised and accounted for in accordance with Indian law,” the government’s Press Information Bureau said.
India has one of the world’s largest NGO sectors. About 600,000 active non-profit organisations are registered with the government’s Darpan portal, where they can access grants or seek permission to receive foreign donations.
Authorities already have sweeping powers over NGOs. Charities must register to receive foreign funds and state the purpose for which they will be used.
Fair enough. That Qatari money has been hitting folks like crack globally.