Now Reading: Foreign funding rises to Rs 22,963 crore as FCRA Bill returns
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Foreign funding rises to Rs 22,963 crore as FCRA Bill returns
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, is back on Parliament's agenda for the monsoon session after being postponed following protests from Christian organisations and NGOs. According to home ministry data, foreign…
The Story in Brief
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, is back on Parliament's agenda for the monsoon session after being postponed following protests from Christian organisations and NGOs. According to home ministry data, foreign contributions to NGOs have actually increased despite tighter rules: in 2024-25, 16,200 NGOs received Rs 22,963 crore, up from an annual average of Rs 18,580 crore in the previous three years.
The government, however, has cancelled FCRA registration of 22,496 NGOs, mostly after 2015, and only 28% of registered associations remain active. The home ministry has clarified that the Bill applies uniformly to all organisations and that the proposed seizure powers target only assets created from foreign contributions after registration ceases.
The Indian Opinion
Both sides are overplaying their hands. Critics paint the Bill as a crackdown on dissent, but the data shows foreign funding has actually gone up. The government, in turn, calls it a clean-up, yet it has cancelled licences of three-quarters of registered NGOs. The real test will be whether the number of active NGOs and the total foreign inflow continue to rise or start falling after the Bill becomes law.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
