Lok Sabha Question No. 91 (STARRED), answered on 2022-02-08
Subject: Renewal of Licences under FCRA
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Vijayakumar (alias) Vijay Vasanth, T. R. Paarivendhar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *91

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 08 TH  FEBRUARY, 2022/ MAGHA 19, 1943 (SAKA)

RENEWAL OF LICENCES UNDER FCRA

*91.     SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR (ALIAS) VIJAY VASANTH: DR. T.R. PAARIVENDHAR:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has denied renewal of licences to about 6,000 organisations under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether refusal of FCRA registration would adversely affect their welfare programmes and Covid related relief works;
- (c) whether the Government is taking any measures to ensure an amicable solution to this issue and also the non-interruption of the welfare schemes in this regard, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether it is also true that the Government has recently restored/granted FCRA registration to some charity organisations and some NGOs in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  total  number  of  such  charities  and  NGO's  FCRA  registration  which were restored in the country, name-wise and location-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO  91  FOR ANSWER ON 08.02.2022 REGARDING RENEWAL OF LICENCES UNDER FCRA

(a) to (c): No,  Sir.    In  fact,  about  5800  FCRA  registered  associations  had not  submitted  their  applications  for  renewal  within  stipulated  time  in accordance with the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.  FCRA  registration  of  these  associations  has    thus  deemed  to  have ceased as per section 12 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 read with rule 12 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011.  In view of Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has given certain relaxations to NGOs so that welfare programmes and Covid related relief  works are  not affected. Main relaxations in this regard include the following:-

(i)  Validity of registration certificate of NGOs expiring between 29.09.2020 to  31.12.2021  had  been  extended  till  31.12.2021.  The  validity  has  been further extended with certain conditions upto 31.03.2022.

(ii) Time period to file Annual Returns for year 2019-20 was extended by six month i.e. till 30.06.2021.

(iii) FCRA associations were allowed to receive foreign contribution in their old main FCRA account upto 30.06.2021.

(d) & (e): Section  32  of  the  Foreign  Contribution  (Regulation)  Act,  2010 provides  for  revision  by  the  Central  Government of any order passed in a

## L.S.S.Q.NO.*91 FOR 08.02.2022

proceeding against any association registered under the Act. The application for revision is considered and disposed of on merits under the above provision of the Act. Since November, 2021 the FCRA  certificate of Public  Health  Foundation  of  India  (PHFI),  New  Delhi  and  Missionaries  of Charity (MoC), Kolkata was renewed by way of revision.

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