The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday prolonged the validity of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of NGOs expiring between September 29, 2020 and March 31, 2022, until March 31, 2022. Earlier, the extension was given solely until December. 31 this 12 months.
“In the public interest, the central government has decided to extend the validity of FCRA registration certificates up to March 31, 2022 or till the date of disposal of renewal application, whichever is earlier,” the MHA stated in a notification on Friday.
This comes days after it refused to approve the renewal software of Missionaries of Charity, an NGO based by Mother Teresa on December 25.
It stated it refused the renewal on the premise of some “adverse input”. The NGO’s registration had expired on October 31 and had utilized for renewal. Following MHA’s refusal, the NGO directed all its facilities to not function overseas contribution financial institution accounts of the NGO.
The extension of the deadline from the MHA follows a number of petitions by NGOs in numerous courts that poor implementation of the amended FCRA had tied their arms in the midst of a pandemic.
However, renewals will likely be permitted just for such NGOs that fulfill sure standards, the MHA stated.
According to the ministry, as per Rule 12 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011, entities ought to apply for renewal on the FCRA portal earlier than the expiry of the certificates of registration.
“Therefore all FCRA registered associations are suggested to pay attention to the truth that in case of denial of software for renewal of certificates of registration, the validity of the certificates has expired on the date of refusal of software for renewal. and the affiliation shall not be eligible to both obtain overseas contribution or make the most of the overseas contribution acquired,” the MHA notification acknowledged.
The amended FCRA made it necessary for all non-governmental organizations receiving overseas support to open an account with a State Bank of India (SBI) New Delhi department. However, the method was hampered by the delay on the a part of the MHA in granting the required approvals as a result of paucity of employees of the Ministry’s State Department. “Even the renewal applications of such NGOs opening SBI accounts have been delayed,” sources stated.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
