Latest news with #ForeignContributionRegulationAct
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Allowing Maha to accept foreign aid: Kerala alleges political bias
1 2 3 T'puram: Kerala has questioned Centre's decision to allow Maharashtra to receive foreign contributions, alleging political bias. Finance minister K N Balagopal told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday that Centre is showing selective discrimination in permitting foreign aid, particularly towards opposition-ruled states. Recently, Centre approved foreign contributions to the Maharashtra chief minister's relief fund under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). This is the first time Centre has granted an FCRA licence to a state govt's account. The fund is registered as a trust and the approval is specifically for receiving donations for social work. Balagopal said that though the permission granted to Maharashtra is reasonable under such circumstances, this move contradicts Centre's earlier stand during the 2018 Kerala floods, when countries including the UAE offered substantial aid. The UAE pledged Rs 700 crore, but the Union home ministry denied Kerala permission to accept it, despite a formal request from the state govt. The decision had sparked widespread controversy. "Disasters, not politics, should be the criterion," the minister said. Balagopal said that during Covid-19 pandemic, Centre allowed foreign donations to the PM CARES Fund through a special account while Kerala was denied similar approval. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People Born 1940-1975 With No Life Insurance Could Be Eligible For This Reassured Get Quote Undo He said Centre's decision in favour of Maharashtra triggered opposition from several non-BJP ruled states, which see it as discriminatory. He also said Maharashtra govt's perceived closeness to the ruling front at Centre leads other states, including Kerala, to believe that this played a role in the decision. He also criticized BJP leaders who, at the time, made remarks blaming the floods on beef consumption in the state. The minister also expressed disappointment that Centre has not provided any aid for Mundakkai-Chooralmala so far and did not announce any support during the Vizhinjam commission period either. He urged Centre to uphold equal standards for all states and not allow political considerations to influence disaster relief decisions.
Hindustan Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Maha gets Centre's nod to receive foreign donations for CM Relief Fund
MUMBAI: In a first-of-its-kind move, the Union Home Ministry has granted permission to the Maharashtra government to accept foreign donations for the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF), marking a significant policy shift under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The CMRF, operated by the state government, provides financial assistance to individuals affected by natural disasters, accidents, communal violence, terror attacks, and also extends aid for medical treatment and educational support. Until now, the fund—like those in other states—could only receive domestic contributions from individuals and companies. 'This is the first time any state's CM Relief Fund has been allowed to receive foreign contributions under the FCRA,' confirmed Rameshwar Naik, a BJP functionary who currently heads the fund. 'The permission was granted by the Union Home Ministry on Friday,' he added. The development comes in contrast to a previous decision by the Centre in 2018, when it declined the Kerala government's request to accept foreign aid in the aftermath of devastating floods. Officials in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the move will enable the fund to tap into corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds from foreign companies operating in Maharashtra. 'There are many multinational firms here with significant CSR allocations. These resources can now be used to help more people in need,' an official said. The CMRF is registered as a trust under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act and is administered by a dedicated cell in the CMO. While officials can sanction aid within a fixed limit, the chief minister has discretionary powers to approve financial assistance of up to ₹7–8 lakh per medical case. Donations to government relief funds are closely regulated by the Union Home Ministry under the FCRA to prevent misuse and ensure transparency. As per law, any trust, NGO, or organisation seeking to receive foreign funds must first register under the Act. The original legislation, enacted in 1976, was overhauled in 2010 and amended again in 2020—most notably to grant exemptions to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES). Former CMRF official Mangesh Chivate revealed that efforts to secure this exemption had been ongoing for years. 'Even during Eknath Shinde's tenure, letters were written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah seeking this approval. This hasn't happened overnight,' Chivate said. According to official data from the CMO, the CMRF disbursed ₹4.95 crore to 525 beneficiaries in Mumbai during the first four months of 2025. During his term as CM, Shinde sanctioned ₹419 crore to over 51,000 beneficiaries, while the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led government had extended aid worth ₹2.5 crore.
Scroll.in
28-05-2025
- Business
- Scroll.in
NGOs that receive foreign funding cannot publish news content, says home ministry
Non-governmental organisations engaged in publication-related activities and receiving foreign funds will not be able to publish any newsletter, and will have to obtain a certificate from the Registrar of Newspapers for India stating that they do not circulate any news content, according to directives introduced by the Union Home Ministry on Monday. The new directive is part of amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules. Non-profit organisations that wish to receive funds from abroad need to register themselves under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. The amended rules say that if the publication of an organisation is registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India, it has to submit a 'Not a Newspaper' certificate from the government body. Further, non-governmental organisations seeking permission to receive foreign funds need to furnish an undertaking that they will adhere to the Good Practices Guidelines of the Financial Action Task Force, the global watchdog on terror financing and money laundering. Such organisations also need to enclose financial statements and audit reports of the last three financial years, as per the amended rules. These documents have to include a statement of assets and liabilities, receipts and payments account, and income and expenditure account. Non-profit organisations that want to register themselves under the Act also need to submit year-wise activity reports for the last three years, according to the amended rules. In 2020, the Centre amended the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act to extend tighter control over how non-profit organisations use foreign funds. Since then, several NGOs have alleged that the government has been using the law to target organisations they do not agree with. Among organisations whose licences under the Act were cancelled or not renewed were non-profits working on human rights, such as Oxfam India and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, and think tanks such as Centre for Policy Research.
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Ministry amends FCRA norms: NGOs getting foreign funds can't publish news content, says MHA
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has amended the rules under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and henceforth, NGOs engaged in publication-related activities and receiving foreign contributions will not be able to publish any newsletter and must get a certificate from the Registrar of Newspapers for India that it does not circulate any news content. In a notification issued late Monday night, the ministry said under the amended rules, NGOs which are seeking permission to get foreign funding must give an undertaking that they will adhere to the Good Practice Guidelines of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). 'Such bodies or NGOs, which are seeking registration, must enclose financial statements and audit reports of the last three years, including the statement of assets and liabilities, receipts and payments account, and income and expenditure account,' it said. 'If the audit reports and financial statements do not contain activity-wise expenditure for the last three financial years, a chartered accountant's certificate specifying the activity-wise amount spent by the association, duly reconciled with the income and expenditure account and the receipt and payment account must be submitted,' it added. 'In case the association or the NGO is engaged in publication-related activities or if publication activities are among its aims as stated in the Memorandum of Association or trust deed, an undertaking from the chief functionary regarding compliance with the FCRA, 2010, must be given,' it said.
Hans India
11-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Ministers discuss humanitarian services with RDT director
Anantapur: Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav and Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav met with RDT (Rural Development Trust) Director Manco Ferrer to discuss the organisation's long-standing humanitarian services in drought-prone areas of the region. During the meeting, Minister Satyakumar recalled that he had previously written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting the renewal of RDT's FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) registration. The letter highlighted RDT's apolitical and consistent efforts in improving education, healthcare, sanitation, and housing for the poor and middle-class communities in the drought-hit regions of Andhra Pradesh. Minister Satyakumar urged that the organisation be removed from the 'Prior Approval Category' and that necessary documents for FCRA renewal be promptly sent to the Central Government. He assured Director Ferrer that the State government stands firmly in support of initiatives that contribute to public welfare.
