Government Crackdown on Foreign Funded NGOs
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently revoked the licenses of nearly 9,000 non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The MHA revoked the licenses for non-compliance with Section 18 of the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA), which stipulates that NGOs must declare financial contributions from abroad to the central government.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s government implemented the FCRA in 1976 during the so-called ‘Emergency’ – which was associated with the suspension of democratic exercises and curbs on civil liberties – to limit the political influence of foreign funded organizations. In 2011, the Congress-led government overhauled the FCRA, increasing the MHA’s discretionary powers and the number of compliances for NGOs. The overhaul followed several high-profile protest campaigns supported by foreign funded NGOs against large-scale infrastructure projects.
The recent license revocations followed an October 2014 warning issued by the MHA to NGOs – only 229 of the 10,343 notified organizations eventually complied with the warning. US Ambassador to India Richard Verma has criticized the Indian government for its crackdown on foreign funded NGOs, while local observers have noted that the government’s regulations for NGOs are simply too complicated for many organizations. Prime Minister Nahendra Modi’s government is administering laws enacted by previous governments; however, critics allege that Modi’s government has been more proactive in investigating and enforcing FCRA compliance.
Maharashtra to Make Starting a Business Easier
The Maharashtra state Industry Department announced that it will reduce the number of procedures needed to set up a business in the state. There are currently over 75 permissions required, but Minister of Industries Subhash Desai said that the state government plans to remove close to half of the approvals. In addition, the state government plans to reduce the number of departments involved in granting approvals, and the time required to grant approvals.
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