FCRA licences of 79 NGOs restored by Home Ministry

The government restored licences of 79 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) after accepting their renewal applications which were filed on December 31 after 7 pm but before 12 am. The NGOs informed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday that they had filed the renewal applications online ahead of the deadline but their names were in the list of NGOs whose licences had lapsed.

Officials said it is an "ongoing process" and it is possible that the number of NGOs who have filed for renewal of licences may increase upon scrutiny of documents and verification. When asked about the names of NGOs whose applications have been accepted, a senior home ministry official said on condition of anonymity, "They are engaged in various activities including religious, social, educational and cultural. After the update, the total number of active NGOs now stands at 16,908 from 16,829."

On January 1, FCRA licence of 5,968 NGOs, including Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, was cancelled after they failed to comply with revised guidelines or apply for renewal. While licences of 12,501 NGOs expired on December 31, licences of 5,710 NGOs lapsed on January 1. To receive foreign grants, NGOs have to register with the home ministry, which assigns a unique FCRA registration number, to be renewed every five years.


FCRA licences of more than 20,000 NGOs have been cancelled in the past 10 years, said officials. FCRA licences of Oxfam Trusts and Oxfam Australia were cancelled in 2017 for violation of law. A spokesperson for Oxfam India told ET that the NGO applied for renewal of FCRA licence in April last year but was denied by the ministry. The organisation is also registered under section 8 company under the 2013 Companies Act, he said.