The Centre has put restrictions on funding for 10 international non-governmental organisations working on child rights, climate change and...
The Centre has put restrictions on funding for 10 international non-governmental organisations working on child rights, climate change and environmental projects, The Hindu reported on Monday.
The newspaper cited a note that the Reserve Bank of India sent to all banks in the country, saying that the Centre had asked for several foreign organisations to be put on the “Prior Reference Category” list.
Being placed on the list implies that “as and when the foreign donor wants to transfer the money to some recipient association in India, the same needs prior clearance of Ministry of Home Affairs”.
Over 80 international agencies are on the list, according to the newspaper. These include three US-based NGOs, two from Australia, the European Climate Foundation, three foundations from the United Kingdom, and one in the United Arab Emirates.
“The RBI has instructed that any fund flow from the (specified) donor agencies to any NGO/Voluntary organisation/ persons in India should be brought to the Ministry of Home Affairs so that the funds are allowed to be credited to the recipients only after clearance/ prior permission,” the RBI note accessed by The Hindu said.
The Indian government had in September 2020 made certain amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, which governs the utilisation of foreign donations received by...
