Government to enforce law that bars foreign funds to NGO more than twice

NEW DELHI: The Home Ministry is mulling strictly enforcing a law that ensures that no NGO is allowed to receive foreign funds more than twice by taking government nod under the prior permission category.

As per the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, an NGO can avail the facility of prior permission category to receive funds from abroad only twice but the rule is not enforced strictly, leading to its alleged misuse.

"We have come to know that there have been many instances in the past when NGOs received funds more than twice under the prior permission category which is against the rule. We want to stop the practice," a Home Ministry official said.

The official said if any NGO wants to receive funds from abroad more than twice, the entity should register under the FCRA and following the stipulated laws.

Many NGOs were avoiding the registration under the FCRA and allegedly trying to bypass rules and receiving the funds under the prior permission category, the official said.