Current Affairs

FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION (REGULATION) ACT (FCRA)

The Supreme Court upheld amendments introducing restrictions in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) while holding that no one has a fundamental or absolute right to receive foreign contributions.

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION REGULATION ACT (FCRA)

In a first since 1984, the Union Home Ministry has granted Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration to Gurdwara Harmandir Sahib, or the Golden Temple, in Amritsar, enabling it to receive foreign donations.

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION REGULATION ACT (FCRA)

The Supreme Court asked 6,000-odd NGOs to go back to the government for redressal of their grievances on non-renewal of their Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration.

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act)

Recently, the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), a leading Indian public policy think tank, had its FCRA license canceled, culminating in a series of government actions since IT raids in September 2022.

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

FCRA registration for several NGOs cancelled

Why in news? The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) registration of two prominent NGOs — Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and World Vision India (WVI) have been cancelled this month....

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION REGULATION ACT (FCRA)

Union Home Ministry has warned of taking penal action against NGOs who have changed office bearers without taking its approval.

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

What is the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)?

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently amended rules pertaining to the filing of annual returns by Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), asking them to provide details of moveable and immovable assets created by them using foreign funds.

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Govt extends deadline for new FCRA bank accounts

In News: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the deadline for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to activate accounts with the State Bank of India’s (SBI) main branch in New Delhi. ...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

FCRA license of 3 minority NGOs revoked

In News: The home ministry has cancelled the foreign funding licence of threeminority NGOs. Their licences have been cancelled over violation of provisions of the Foreign Contributions (Regulatio...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

FCRA nod for human rights NGO declined

In News: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has cancelled the FCRA registration of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI). CHRI is an international NGO that works for human rights in Commonw...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

NGOs to Lose FCRA License over Conversions, Anti-Development Acts: MHA

Why in the News? Central Government announced that any NGO involved in anti-developmental activities and forced religious conversions will face cancellation of their registration under Foreign Con...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Validity of FCRA registration of NGOs extended

Why in news? The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extended the validity of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration of NGOs and associations till June 30. The Ministry has extended t...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

FCRA license of 3 minority NGOs revoked

In News: The home ministry has cancelled the foreign funding licence of threeminority NGOs. Their licences have been cancelled over violation of provisions of the Foreign Contributions (Regulatio...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

SC: FCRA change needed to protect country’s integrity

In News: The Supreme Court of India has upheld the 2020 amendments in Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.   What’s in Today’s Article: The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010– ...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

13 NGOs lose FCRA licence over ‘religious conversions’

In News The home ministry has suspended the foreign funding licence of 13 NGOs and associations for allegedly indulging in religious conversion in tribal-dominated areas in violation of provisions...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

FCRA bill making Aadhaar a must for NGOs tabled in Lok Sabha

In News: The government has introduced the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020 in the Lok Sabha. It seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), to make it A...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Licences of 6k NGOs nixed for FCRA violation

In News: The government has recently cancelled the foreign funding licence of 6,676 NGOs and associations over the past three years for violation of various provisions of Foreign Contributions (Re...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Some NGOs acted illegally: India defends FCRA action

In News: Indian government at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group meeting at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva asserted that activities of civil society and human rights groups m...

International Relations

Important Articles

Home ministry cancels FCRA licence of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust

In News: The Ministry of Home Affairs has cancelled the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) for alleged...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

FCRA compoundable offences up from 7 to 12: Parties to judges to media can now get funds from kin abroad without fear of prosecution

In News: Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, notified changes in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and its rules. Political parties, judges, government emp...

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION REGULATIONS ACT

Of the six NGOs whose licence under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) was suspended by the Union Home Ministry this year, four are Christian associations.

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

Foreign Contribution Regulation Act

Recently, the Central government of India suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR).

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Centre cannot brand organisations ‘political’: SC

In News: The Supreme Court held that the Central government cannot brand an organisation ‘political’ and deprive it of its right to receive foreign funds for using “legitimate forms of dissent” li...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Foreign funding licences of 20k NGOs cancelled since 2011: Govt

  In News: Due to violation of different provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010, and rules, the Indian government has cancelled the foreign funding licences of more tha...

Editorial Analysis

Current Affairs

What is the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010?

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has, for the first time, explicitly listed the reasons for denying the clearance needed under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act to receive funds from abroad.

Economy

Current Affairs

RIGHT TO RECEIVE FOREIGN FUNDS

The Supreme Court held that the Central government cannot brand an organisation ‘political’ and deprive it of its right to receive foreign funds for using “legitimate forms of dissent” like bandh, hartal, road roko or jail ‘bharo’ to aid a public cause.

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION (REGULATION) AMENDMENT BILL, 2020

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020 was introduced in Lok Sabha.

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Religious freedom report is biased: India

In News: India has rejected its criticism in a US State Department report on religious freedom, saying it is unfortunate that "vote bank politics is being practised in international relations". ...

International Relations

Important Articles

Clearing CM’s foreign trips

In News: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has questioned why the Centre has delayed the clearance of his trip to Singapore. He has been invited by the Singapore to attend a World Cities Summit...

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

What are NEFT and RTGS?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently made changes in NEFT and RTGS systems for Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) related transactions.

Economy

Important Articles

Clearance required for State Ministers’ foreign trip

Why in news? The Centre has informed the Delhi High Court that Delhi Education Minister Atishi has been cleared to travel to the UK next week. Atishi has been invited by Cambridge University to sp...

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

SEVA BHOJ YOJANA

The Minister of Culture informed Lok Sabha about the Seva Bhoj Yojana.

Culture

Important Articles

For the empowerment of social entrepreneurs, a five-point agenda Editorial 26th Sep'21 HindustanTimes

Social Enterprises: A social enterprise is loosely a cause-driven business working to achieve social objectives and serving the common good. Social enterprises, as distinct from non-governmental o...

Editorial Analysis

Important Articles

Crackdown on Civil Society and NGOs in India

Why in News? Following the searches, the Income Tax (I-T) department recently concluded that some of the NGOs had allegedly violated provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) 201...

Polity & Governance

Current Affairs

FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION REGULATION ACT

Union Home Ministry has amended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) giving certain relaxations such as allowing relatives to send more money to India freely.

International

Important Articles

Subverting civil society is new frontier of war: Doval

In News: India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval pointed out that the new frontiers of war is about the subverting civil society. He was addressing the IPS trainees at the SVP National...

Defence & Security

Current Affairs

PM CARES Fund

The Central Government has recently informed the Delhi High Court that PM CARES Fund is set up as a public charitable trust and is not a public authority under RTI.

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Subverting civil society is new frontier of war: Doval

In News: India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval pointed out that the new frontiers of war is about the subverting civil society. He was addressing the IPS trainees at the SVP National...

Defence & Security

Current Affairs

Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund)

The Delhi High Court recently set aside an order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) directing the Income Tax (IT) department to provide details regarding the tax exemption granted to the PM Cares Fund under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

Government Schemes and Initiatives

Important Articles

Demise of Foreign Aid in India

Context India’s relationship with foreign aid has historically been one of ambivalence, oscillating between receptivity and resistance and this duality has shaped both policy and public discourse ...

Editorial Analysis

Important Articles

No moving PM-Cares funds to NDRF: SC

In News The Supreme Court has refused to order transfer of funds from the PM CARES Fund to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). The court said that they are two entirely different funds wit...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Ratan Tata, Justice K.T. Thomas, Kariya Munda appointed trustees of PM CARES Fund

In News: The Central Government recently appointed Ratan Tata, a veteran industrialist, former Supreme Court judge K.T. Thomas and former Deputy Lok Sabha Speaker Kariya Munda as trustees of the ...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

PM CARES Fund Collects ₹912 Crore in Post-Pandemic Year

Why in news? The PM CARES Fund received ₹912 crore in contributions during the financial year 2022-23, comprising ₹909.64 crore in voluntary donations and ₹2.57 crore in foreign contributions, refl...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

What constitutes a Money Bill

Why in news? The Supreme Court has agreed to consider petitions challenging the government's use of the "Money Bill route" to pass contentious legislation in Parliament. The issue of which Bills ca...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

Shah: Criminal justice system set for overhaul

In News: The Union Minister of Home Affairs attended 51st Foundation Day event of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) in New Delhi.   What’s in Today’s Article: Brief note on t...

Polity & Governance

Important Articles

The burgeoning expenditure of elections

Why in news? The estimated total expenditure for the upcoming U.S. presidential and Congressional elections in November 2024 is approximately $16 billion (around ₹1,36,000 crores). In contrast, the...

Polity & Governance