Modi government cancels licences of nearly 9,000 NGOs

The cancellations came after these NGOs failed to file tax returns for three consecutive years, starting FY2010

In yet another crackdown on NGOs receiving foreign funds, the government has cancelled licences of nearly 9,000 such entities for violation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).

In an order, the Home Ministry said that notices were issued to 10,343 NGOs for not filing annual returns for financial years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.

The notices were served on October 16, 2014, saying that the NGOs should file their annual returns within a month specifying amount of foreign funds received, sources of such funds, for which purpose it was received and in manner in which such foreign contribution was utilised, according to a Home Ministry notification.

Of the 10,344 NGOs, only 229 replied.

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There was no reply from the remaining 8,975 NGOs leading to cancellation of their registration issued under FCRA, the notification issued yesterday said.

Included in the cancellations are 510 NGOs against whom notices were sent but were returned undelivered.

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The government earlier had suspended the FCRA licence issued to Greenpeace India and frozen seven bank accounts of the environmental non-profit for various alleged violations.

The government last week ordered that funds from US-based Ford Foundation should not be released by any bank to any Indian NGOs without mandatory permission from the Home Ministry.