Lok Sabha Question No. 4459 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-12
Subject: Foreign Funded Consultants
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU

## LOK SABHA ARRED UESTION No.4459

To be answered on the 12th August,  2016 (Shravana  21, 193S (Saka)  )

## Foreign  Funded  Consultants

## OUESTION

## 4459. DR GOKARA]U  GANGA  RA}U:

## Will the Minister  of FINANCE be pleased  to state:

- (r) whether the Govemment  has  engaged foreign funded consultants/professionars  working within the Goveriment and hav-ing  access to confidential information  and dati and if so, the details thereof  and d.r" ..uro* therefor;
- (b) whether  the Government  has issued order to end term contracts of such foreign  funded  consultants  in a bid to bring more transparency  in public-policy making.and-also  to clampdown  on outside infl.,rerr"e  on dom"stic p"li.i", tf,i."gi intemational agencies and Non-Governmental  organizations  (NGos) and if so, tile details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Govemment has identified any foreign  funded NGo, which is deeply penetrated  into the Government  policies ,rrd if ,o, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY  OF FINANCE (SHRI  ARJUN  RAM MEGHWAL)

- 1u), .Consultants are engaged  by Ministries/Departments of Government of India trom brl,ateral  partners/  multilateral  organisations  in accordance  with the extant guidelines' In terms of current procedure,  the consultants  sign a Confidentiality and Ethics  & lntegritv agreement  with the Ministries/Departments  of the Government.
- (b) The Govemment had set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) in April 2015 to revisit the matter of engagement  of Consultants /  Advisors from bilateral partners/ multilateral  organisations.  The IMC reviewed the method of engagement of ConsuItants by varlous Ministries/  Departments, including  the terms and conditions of engagement  and the need/ justilication  for the same.  After due analysis of the information received, the IMC made its recommendations about the process by which engagement/continuation  of such Consultants is to be regulated. Suitable guidelines  regulating  engagement/continuation  of the services  of Consultants  were issued on 29.72.2075.  A copy of the guidelines is available  on Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs at link: h finmin.nic rn the mlnls eco ffairs de website

- o rhe Ministry  of Home Affairs  is mandated  to administer the Foreign Contribution  (Regulation)  Act, 2010 (FCRA 2010),  for regulating  the receipt  aid utilisation of foreign contribution by the Indian  associationi. As ind when reports are received  against any association for alleged violation  of the Act, action  is :llel:q:hrt\_ the alleged  violators after following due process as prescribed  in the FCRA,2010  and FCRR,2011. Mandate  is to rook into aiceptance  and utilisation of foreign  contribution by Indian NGos for any activities in violation  of FCRA,  2010. Action  again't such violation  is taken after conducting inspection  of the records and accounts giving due opportunity  to the concerned  association/NGO. For 9*"1!:l and Monitoring of foreign  donors  there are no direct provisions  in the FCRA, 2010 and FCRR, 2011.