Foreigners Division of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, (FCRA) has issued notices to some 154 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the State.
These organisations have been found to be not filing their annual returns between the period of 2010-11 to 2014-15. As per the FCRA, 2010 and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011 (FCRR, 2011) the associations are required to submit their annual return for every financial year, failing to this may invite even debarment., in spite of sufficient and adequate notice, it has been observed that 5,922 associations have not uploaded their annual returns for three or more than three years within the stipulated time given in the notice. Such associations have now been issued show cause notice as to why their registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, (FCRA) may not be cancelled under Section 14 of FCRA, 2010 for failure to upload their Annual Returns from 2010-11 to 2014-15,” reads the show cause notice issued two days ago on July 8.
The Ministry’s foreign funding wing under one-time measure had given an opportunity to all such organisations by way of a public notice on May 12 this year requiring to file their missing annual returns within a period of one month time, i.e. up to June 14, 2017, without payment of penalty or compounding fee. This was followed by regular email and SMS, failing to which the final show cause notice has been issued.“The associations are requested to furnish their replies, if any, through mail within 15 days of this notice, failing which is will be presumed that the associations have nothing to say in this regard and action as proposed above will be taken after expiry of 15 days without giving any further notice in accordance with the provisions of FCRA, 2010 an Rules made there after,” says the notice undersigned by Santosh Sharma, Director (FC&MU).