US tops 31,000-crore donation list

NEW DELHI: Over Rs 31,000 crore has been received as donations from abroad by various associations and organisations working in the country during 2006-09 with nearly onethird coming from the United States alone, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

The maximum number of these donations were directed to associations and NGOs based in Delhi followed by Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, which have received Rs 8,095 crore, 5,437.91 crore and 3,545.24 crore, respectively during the threeyear period -- from 2006 to 2009. The top donor was the United States from where over Rs 9,310 crore were received by NGOs in India during the period, data presented by the home ministry in Lok Sabha revealed.

Indian NGOs and associations have received Rs 31,473 crore as donations during the 2006-09 period.

MoS (home affairs) Mullappally Ramachandran said some complaints have been received with regard to irregularities and misutilisation of such funds, and based on them 41 associations have been prohibited from receiving funds from abroad. He said, “About 41 associations are prohibited from receiving foreign contribution, 35 associations are placed in prior permission category and accounts of 11 associations are frozen at present. Further nine cases have been referred to CBI for detailed investigations for FCRA violations.”

He said of these nine cases, four are on trial, one has been convicted. The minister said, ‘Two are stayed by courts, one has been closed due to insufficient proof and in one case prosecution has been issued.”