Now Reading: Foreign funding rises to Rs 22,963 crore despite FCRA tightening
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Foreign funding rises to Rs 22,963 crore despite FCRA tightening
Foreign contributions to India rose to Rs 22,963 crore in 2024-25, received by 16,200 NGOs, despite tighter Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act rules, The Times of India reports. That compares with an annual…
The Story in Brief
Foreign contributions to India rose to Rs 22,963 crore in 2024-25, received by 16,200 NGOs, despite tighter Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act rules, The Times of India reports. That compares with an annual average of Rs 18,580 crore received by 13,250 NGOs between 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The Home Ministry has said only about 14,500 NGOs currently hold active FCRA registrations, while licences for 22,496 organisations have been cancelled. It says proposed amendments concern the foreign-funded channel, not civil society as a whole. The ministry also says any government management of assets would apply only to those created with foreign contributions, remain appealable, and be reversed if registration is renewed.
The Indian Opinion
The figures weaken both easy claims that FCRA rules have stopped foreign funding and warnings that they have ended civil society work. Funding has risen, but the active pool is far smaller than the number of organisations once registered. The real test is whether scrutiny is applied consistently across religions and ideologies, with timely appeals and public records showing why licences are cancelled. The next annual funding and registration figures should provide that check.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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