Now Reading: Centre refers FCRA Amendment Bill to Joint Panel
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Centre refers FCRA Amendment Bill to Joint Panel
The government has referred the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a Joint Parliamentary Committee after sharp opposition from civil society and church bodies, Telangana Today reports. The Bill creates a…
The Story in Brief
The government has referred the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a Joint Parliamentary Committee after sharp opposition from civil society and church bodies, Telangana Today reports. The Bill creates a Designated Authority empowered to take over and sell assets built with foreign funds if an NGO’s FCRA registration is cancelled or surrendered, depositing the proceeds in the Consolidated Fund of India.
Critics fear the asset-vesting rules could penalise past investments. The Centre says the amendments ensure transparency and national security. Existing compliance burdens have already caused an 87% drop in foreign funding, forcing many community organisations to shut down.
The Indian Opinion
The government’s claim that the Bill targets only misuse rings hollow when foreign funding has already fallen 87% under current rules. The narrative that most NGOs are unaccountable ignores that only 14,450 of India’s three million groups hold FCRA registration. The FATF itself recommended targeted, risk-based scrutiny, not blanket vesting. The JPC must insist on a clear definition of ‘proselytisation’ and a judicial review process before any asset is seized.
Source: telanganatoday.com
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