Over 12,000 NGOs can’t get foreign funding as their FCRA licence expire

The Centre hasn’t renewed the FCRA licence of about 12,000 Non-government organisations which have expired on Friday, December 31. The renewal of the FCRA licence is needed to get funds from overseas countries.

The Ministry of Home informed about the expiry of these licences on January 1. Sources in the Home Ministry has said that these NGOs didn’t apply for the renewal of the licence.

“Over 12000 NGOs’ licence has expired on Friday because they didn’t apply for their renewals. We had sent reminders to them that their licence will lapse but still, they didn’t make an application for the renewal. We have left with no option but to let it expire,” an official from the Ministry of Home informed The National Bulletin.

Prominent among these NGOs are the Tuberculosis Association Of India, the Indira Gandhi National Centre For Arts, the India Islamic Cultural Centre Oxfam India Trust, Jamia Milia Islamia, the Indian Medical Association and the Leprosy Mission.

Earlier, the Ministry has refused to renew the FCRA licence of the Missionaries of Charity. According to the government, there were some adverse inputs against the Missionaries of Charity due to which its licence was not renewed.

The Missionaries of Charity works for orphans, poor and helpless who have no means for survival. After the refusal to renew the licence, several bank accounts of the Missionaries of Charity cannot receive any amount from abroad.

According to reports, at present, there are 22,762 NGOs in India that have FCRA licences and they can receive foreign funding.