3,292 NGOs have 15 days to comply with FCRA rules or face action

New Delhi: 29.04.2018

The ministry of home affairs has issued notices to 3,292 NGOs/associations including Delhi University, JNU, IGNOU, IIT-Madras and others asking them to submit their annual returns from 2011-12 to 2016-17 within the next 15 days or face cancellation of licence under FCRA 2010.

In an order issued this week, the ministry has asked the associations registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) 2010 to submit their mandatory annual returns for these six years on the FCRA portal online “immediately”.

According to the rule, those NGOs/organisations which do not receive funds from foreign countries are also required to furnish a ‘nil’ return for the respective financial years.

The ministry has issued the notices to 3,292 physically while stating, “If you failed to submit any of the missing return (s) within this time period (2011-12 to 2016-17), appropriate action under the section 14 (cancellation) of the FCRA, 2010 would be initiated against your association for the said violation,” stated the order. Some of the associations/ NGOs which have been sent notices this week include prominent higher education institutions like University of Delhi, JNU, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), IITMadras, School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Delhi, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) among others.

“This is the final opportunity these organisations have,” said a senior MHA official. TNN