After a record 1,111 NGOs got FCRA nod in 2023, 30 get clearance in January

Taiwan-headquartered Buddhist religious trust, Fo Guang Shan Cultural and Educational Centre, received registration under ‘religious, cultural, economic, educational and social purpose’ category

The Fo Guang Shan monastic order originated in Taiwan in the 1960s and the Delhi centre (in picture) was established in 2008. Photo: google.com/maps/

A Taiwan-headquartered Buddhist monastic order in Delhi has been granted clearance under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, enabling the organisation to receive foreign funds.  

The Fo Guang Shan Cultural and Educational Centre has received FCRA registration for its “religious, cultural, economic, educational and social” programme.

The Fo Guang Shan monastic order originated in Taiwan in the 1960s and the Delhi centre was established in 2008.

“It is a Buddhist religious trust. Presently we are imparting training to 50 children to become novice monks. We had applied for FCRA registration in 2016 as well, but it was rejected. Now that the FCRA registration has been granted in the second attempt, it will help us in getting foreign funds,” said Junu Jigmeth, managing trustee of the cultural centre.

In all, 30 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and associations have been granted FCRA registration in the first month of the year.

Last year, a record number of 1,111 NGOs were granted permission to receive foreign donations, the highest since 2014.

Registration under FCRA is mandatory to receive foreign donations. The NGO must have a definite cultural, economic, educational, religious or social programme to get registered.

According to data available with the Ministry, as many as 3,294 associations were granted fresh registration from 2014 to 2023.

The Ministry also informed the Lok Sabha on December 19, 2023 that out of the total 1,615 applications received for registration under FCRA in the years 2021 and 2022, as many as 722 were granted clearance while 225 applications were rejected. “The refusal of these applications was due to not fulfilling the eligibility criteria in accordance with the provisions of the FCRA, 2010 and rules made thereunder,” the Ministry said.

It added that a total of 13,520 associations received foreign contribution worth ₹55,741.51 crore across the financial years 2019-2020, 2020-21, and 2021-22.

As on January 10, there were 16,987 FCRA-registered NGOs active in the country.

The FCRA registrations of nearly 6,000 NGOs had become inoperative from January 1, 2022 as Ministry refused to renew their application or the NGOs did not apply for one. The registration is valid for five years.