NGOs, their executives to give annual income details to Lokpal

NEW DELHI: All foreign and domestic-funded Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) will be under Lokpal, which will initiate an enquiry against them in the event of their involvement in corruption.

Besides, both the NGOs and their top executives will have to file details of income and assets before the proposed anti-corruption body.

As per the rules notified recently by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), NGOs receiving more than Rs one crore as government grant and donations above Rs 10 lakh from abroad will be under the ambit of the Lokpal.

Under the new rules, office bearers of such NGOs will be treated as "public servants" and charged under the anti-corruption law in case of financial irregularities.

These rules will apply to the NGOs, Limited Liability Partnership firms (LLPs)--which can be a law or real estate firm--or any such group partly or wholly financed by the central government. However, big corporates will be out of the ambit of Lokpal.

Anti-corruption activists have expressed concern over the government's move to allegedly ignore private sector bribery by exempting such companies from the Lokpal's jurisdiction.

"It is worrisome that the Lokpal Act and the recent notification of the DoPT relating to the monetary limit of government funding for societies, trusts, associations and LLPs to bring them under the jurisdiction of the Lokpal for purpose of corruption does not include private companies registered under the Companies Act 2013," said Venkatesh Nayak, Programme Coordinator, Access to Information Programme, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative--an NGO.

He said since India has ratified United Nations Convention Against Corruption and, as per its provision, it is the duty of the government to take measures "to prevent corruption involving the private sector".