NGOs get foreign funds to stall critical operations: Government

NEW DELHI: Government today said certain NGOs receiving funds from abroad hold "campaigns" against critical operations like nuclear power plants and mining, affecting the progress of the country.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju informed the Lok Sabha that certain NGOs are being used to launch a "campaign" against critical operations such as nuclear power plants and mining projects which affects the "progress" of the country.

He said NGOs like Greenpeace in India have been barred from receiving foreign funds.

Responding to a supplementary on amending the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, he said a "holistic" view is required on the issue.

The government has either issued or is in the process of issuing notices to 10,343 NGOs or NGOs registered under FCRA who have not filed annual returns for any of the Financial Years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Out of these, 1441 NGOs or associations are registered in Andhra Pradesh, 1110 in Tamil Nadu and 1167 in Uttar Pradesh. 401 such organisations are in Delhi.

Organisations receiving foreign contributions are required to submit annual returns for each financial year within a period of nine months from closure of calendar year.

He said the MHA has introduced penalty for late filing of annual returns from April, 2013. "Thus associations who default in filing the returns or do not file the returns would face penal action," he said.