MHA Extends Validity of FCRA Registered NGOs Till June 30
PTK News Desk
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the validity of all FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) registered NGOs until June 30, providing relief to organizations whose licenses were set to expire on March 31. This extension also applies to NGOs whose five-year validity period is expiring between April 1, 2024, and June 30, 2024.
Under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, it is mandatory for NGOs receiving foreign contributions to be registered. The MHA’s decision to extend the validity of FCRA registration certificates comes as a reprieve to organizations awaiting renewal of their licenses.
In a notification issued by the home ministry, it was stated that the extension is in the public interest and applies to FCRA registered entities whose validity was previously extended till March 31, 2024, and whose renewal applications are pending. The extended validity now stands until June 30, 2024, or until the renewal application is disposed of, whichever is earlier.
Furthermore, NGOs whose five-year validity period is expiring between April 1, 2024, and June 30, 2024, and have either applied or will apply for renewal before the expiry date, will have their validity extended until June 30, 2024, or until the renewal application is disposed of.
The extension comes amidst efforts to streamline the regulatory framework governing foreign contributions to NGOs. Data disclosed in parliament last year revealed that over Rs 55,741.51 crore in foreign contributions were received by 13,520 FCRA-registered associations or NGOs between the financial years 2019-2020 and 2021-2022.
With over 16,000 NGOs currently holding valid FCRA licenses as of July 2023, the extension of validity provides continuity and stability to organizations engaged in various social, cultural, and developmental activities across the country.
This move by the MHA underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in the utilization of foreign contributions by NGOs while also facilitating their operations within the regulatory framework.
