NGO urges Goa MLAs to raise issue of illegal biz by foreigners

A Goa-based NGO today alleged that illegal businesses were being run by foreigners in the state and appealed the legislators to take up the issue in the Legislative Assembly session that began today.
"There is a nexus between politicians, police and government, which has given a free hand to foreigners to illegally conduct business in the coastal belt," Durgadas Kamat, Chief of state's leading NGO 'Gen Next', said in a statement.
"This issue should be taken up by all the legislators in the (current) Assembly session," he said.
The week-long Winter session of the Goa Legislative Assembly began here today.

"There are structures put up by foreigners in agricultural and orchard lands, which cannot be converted for commercial purpose," he said, adding they (the foreigners) were running clubs and restaurants in these illegally converted properties.
"This is a clear-cut case of violation of RBI guidelines," Kamat said, adding "It is very disheartening to see that Goan businessmen, who are operating legally, have been suffering due to these illegal businesses."

In 2015, the Union Home Ministry cancelled FCRA
registration of 10,000 NGOs because they did not file their annual returns for three years in a row.
Many of these organisations were defunct or did not want the FCRA registration in any case.

The Centre's decision brings down the number of not-for-profit organisations permitted to receive foreign funding to 20,500, less than half of what it was two years ago when 42,500 were registered under FCRA, 2010.
FCRA 2010 -- which replaced a 1976 law by the same name -- ended the system of permanent registration, and required NGOs to seek renewal of their licence every five years.
The validity of FCRA registration of the NGOs was extended till October 31, 2016 but they were required to submit applications for renewal of registration by June 30.
In its original form, the FCRA was enacted apparently to restrict flow of foreign funds to civil society groups during the 1975-77 Emergency.

Parliament had passed a stringent version of the FCRA in 2010, with the Congress-led UPA government insisting that NGOs that rely on foreign funds had to be prepared for greater scrutiny.
The Modi government has so far cancelled registration of more than 22,000 NGO for various alleged lapses.