7 innovative ways to raise funds for your NGO according to Impact Guru

Although the large majority of funding for NGOs is still done offline, online platforms offering this crowdfunding service are playing an important part in the increasing role of technology within the nonprofit sector

NGOs need funds. It's as simple as that. Raising them is a different story. With the rise in non-profit competition, gaining funds is becoming a denser marketplace to crack. Amongst the clamour and competition, the smarter NGOs are having to come up with new and increasingly more innovative ways to compete with each other for that ever-important cash.  Let's see what these innovative ideas really mean when we're standing head on in the fierce fundraising race.

1. Crowdfunding

Although the large majority of funding for NGOs is still done offline, online platforms offering this crowdfunding service are playing an important part in the increasing role of technology within the nonprofit sector. A trend that has taken off globally over the last decade, online crowdfunding is fast becoming one of the most viable sources of funding for social good.

2. Competitions

Smart NGOs are leveraging initiatives and competitions that are being run through various online platforms, fundraising portals or associated bodies. Such initiatives may offer some form of financial benefit for competing in a fundraising challenge,  or boast various tax benefits for the participants.

3. Go mobile

It's no secret that mobile usage is fast outgrowing desktop, the majority of web traffic is accessed through mobile already. Its vital then to maximise the platforms hat not only you're ready to take donations online, but also that your page is mobile compatible.

4. Tax Saving

To encourage people to donate to good causes, the Indian Income Tax Department allows donors to claim tax exemption under Section 80G on the amount donated to charities and NGOs. This offers a great opportunity for savvy NGOs to capitalise on this and provides a USP to gain donors and draw in funds, particularly around the tax saving season.

5. Jump on the bandwagon

Popular trends and hot topics create a great opportunity for you to capitalise on the talking point and direct the audience towards your cause. Keep a lookout on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook for trending topics that you could utilise to point towards your cause.

6. Reward your donors

Give something back to your donors. Not necessarily a free gift, although if you can afford it then giving the option for a small branded item acts as a consistent reminder of your brand to the donor and will work towards building a brand presence. Try partnering with larger consumer brands to finance this.

7. Love loyalty

Don't forget to nurture the loyalty of repeat donors. Create a reason for them to keep coming back to donate. This might be through loyalty schemes, or encouraging them to donate again by gifting vouchers or coupons. Similarly to above, contact corporates to partner with for this.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the publication

Source: https://mybigplunge.com/opinion/innovative-ways-to-raise-funds-according-to-impact-guru/

NGOs, clubs will face higher taxes on fundraisers, charity events under GST

Mumbai: Beginning July 1, the Goods and Services Tax will play spoilsport to fundraisers or charity events organised by non-government organisations (NGOs).

As total landed cost of holding such events would increase by at least 20 per cent, there will likely be a decline in hosting them, an Economic Times report said.

Clubs and NGOs that hold fundraisers or meetings will not be able to get an input credit on the food expenses under GST, unlike the current tax regime where they receive sales tax credit.

Apart from that, NGOs are complaining that they won't get any input credit on GST paid on subscription fees paid by their members.

Clubs such as Rotary Club and Lions Club fear that under GST there could be double taxation for them.

Read: What is GST and how will you benefit from it?

The idea behind double taxation implies that clubs, NGO's will have to pay 18 per cent GST on subscription fees of their members. While under the current tax regime, they receive an input credit of around 10.15 - 14.5 per cent on food and beverages costs at a fundraising event, the same will not hold once the indirect tax regime takes effect.

The GST framework does not allow credit for expenses incurred for activities that may not be directly construed as related to business. This includes expenses incurred for food and beverages.

Sources stated that many clubs would try to create structures that can bypass the GST regulations.

Source: http://www.timesnow.tv/business-economy/article/club-ngo-holding-fundraiser-charity-higher-tax-gst-double-taxation/63861

Future of 10,000 NGOs uncertain over issue of filing I-T returns

All NGOs need to register themselves with the ministry of home affairs under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in order to receive foreign funding.

Fate of around 10,000 NGOs registered with the Union home ministry to receive foreign funding is hanging in the balance as they have yet not been able to comply with the condition of submitting their annual returns for the last five years.

All NGOs need to register themselves with the ministry of home affairs under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in order to receive foreign funding. All these NGOs are required to file annual details of their income and expenses.

About four years ago, there were around 42,500 NGOs registered under the FCRA. But according to the government, there were only 33,300 NGOs registered under the forex act as on December 31 last year. Their number may come down further.

Last month, the ministry had given as many as 18,523 NGOs one-time opportunity to file their missing annual returns. "But till June 15, only 8267 NGOs managed to submit their returns for the period between 2010 and 2015. For the rest of 10526 NGOs, the ministry is yet to take a final call," said a home ministry spokesperson.

The official clarified there are 1,549 NGOs, which have not submitted return for even one year, while 2,339, 2,057, 2,079 and 2,239 NGOs have submitted their returns for one, two, three and four years, respectively. "The home ministry will not take a lenient view in this regard," said the spokesperson. The ministry had given time to the NGOs to submit their returns till June 14.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/future-of-10-000-ngos-uncertain-over-issue-of-filing-i-t-returns/story-tbYE3V7A158EovQw55LbjI.html

Over 10,000 NGOs set to face Home Ministry crackdown over foreign funding

The MHA in May had given 18,523 NGOs a one-time opportunity to furnish details of their income sourced from abroad. MHA had asked these agencies to declare income and its source from abroad by June 14.

Over 10,000 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have come under the scanner of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for not declaring their source of funding from foreign countries and they may even lose their license required to get grants from other nations. The MHA in May had given 18,523 NGOs a one-time opportunity to furnish details of their income sourced from abroad. MHA had asked these agencies to declare income and its source from abroad by June 14.

The MHA had asked these NGOs to declare income received from abroad from the 2010-11 financial year to 2014-15 financial year – a time frame of five years. Out of the 18,523 NGOs who were asked to furnish details only 8,267 NGOs filed details with the Ministry of Home Affairs an official told the Indian Express. The 10,256 NGOs which have failed to file the details are under examination. According to the official, the ministry will decide whether to give these NGOs an extension to furnish details or to revoke the license of these NGOs.

Out of the aforementioned 10,256 NGOs, 2,239 have filed details for four years, 2,071 have filed details for three years, 2,057 have filed details for two years and 2,339 NGOs have only filed details for a single year, according to the report.

The Home Ministry had told these NGOs that they may lose their license if they do not divulge details of the funds they have received from other countries. Mukesh Mittal, Joint Secretary (Foreigners), had in an order stated "Failure to upload returns for these five years will lead to cancellation of licenses which are issued or renewed".

According to the Indian Express report, the NGOs could upload their missing returns between May 15 and June 14. There are 20,000 NGOs registered under the FCRA.

Source: http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/over-10000-ngos-set-to-face-home-ministry-crackdown-over-foreign-funding/729225/

10,000 NGOs may face action for not filing FCRA returns

NEW DELHI: The home ministry is contemplating penal action against around 10,000 NGOs that have not filed their missing annual returns under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules, 2011, for all for some years between 2010-11 to 2014-15, despite the one-month grace window offered by the home ministry to do the same. Ministry sources said as many as 286 NGOs that were yet to file the returns for a single year upon expiry of grace period on June 15, 2017, could face cancellation of registration under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) and review of renewal already granted. For the remaining defaulters with partial compliance, action is still being discussed and may be graded depending on the level of compliance.

The home ministry had, upon noticing that as many as 18,523 NGOs registered under FCRA had not filed their annual returns for some or all five years between 2010-11 and 2014-15, issued a public notice on May 12 asking them to file the same between May 15 and June 15. While describing it as a last chance for the defaulting NGOs, the ministry had assured them that no late fee would be imposed for late filing of returns.

Of the 18,523 defaulting NGOs as on May 14, 2017, as many as 1,835 had not filed returns for all five years in question, 5,766 had not done so for four years, 4,379 for three years, 3,398 for 2 years and 3,145 for one year.

At the end of the grace period, while 8,267 NGOs completely fell in line by filing annual returns for all five years, 2,239 did so for four missed years, 2,072 for three years, 2,057 for two years and 2,339 for one year. As many as 1,549 of the 1,835 NGOs who had not filed annual returns for a single year between 2010-11 to 2014-15, in gross violation of FCRA and Rule 17 of FCRR, have done so now.

Home ministry sources said the ministry is contemplating a graded response depending on the extent of compliance by the aforesaid NGOs, with the 286 defaulters yet to file a single return most likely to face cancellation of registration and review of renewal already granted. "As for the remaining, the likely penal action is still being discussed....Chances are that a graded penalty may be imposed, with the NGOs that have filed returns for four of five years being shown leniency and those who have filed returns for just one year facing tougher penalty," said a home ministry spokesperson.

There are roughly around 25,000 NGOs in the country registered under FCRA.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/10000-ngos-may-face-action-for-not-filing-fcra-returns/articleshow/59246858.cms

10,000 More NGOs To Lose Their FCRA Licence Because They Failed, To File Their Annual Returns.

The Union Home Ministry is Examining if the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) Licences of over 10,000 NGOs should be Cancelled, as they have not Complied with the Center's Order to File Annual Returns under 5 Categories. While over 8,000 NGOs did File their Returns under all the 5 Formats, most did not Comply Entirely.

NGOs that Receive Foreign Grants are Required to get a FCRA Licence & File 5 Annual Return Forms. There are over 20,000 NGOs Registered under the FCRA.

Since the NDA Government came to Power, the FCRA Licences of more than 11,000 NGOs have been Cancelled. More than 1,300 were Refused Renewal of their Licence for Violations of the FCRA.

'Deemed Expired'

In May this Year, the Home Ministry gave 18,523 NGOs whose Licences were "Deemed Expired" on Account of Non-Compliance, a 1 Time Opportunity to give Details of their Income & Expenses by June 14. The NGOs were asked to Submit their Annual Returns for 5 Years, from 2010-11 to 2014-15. However, so far only 8,267 NGOs have Filed such Returns, a Ministry Spokesperson said.

The Home Ministry is Examining what Action it could take against the Remaining 10,256 NGOs that have still not Filed all the Returns. 1 of the Options it's Considering is Cancelling their Registration.

Government Warning

A Home Ministry Spokesperson said that 2,239 NGOs had Filed Returns for 4 Years, 2,071 for 3 Years, 2,057 for 2 Years, & 2,339 for 1 Year. The Ministry had earlier Warned these NGOs that they might Lose their Registration if they Failed to give all the Details.

"The Last Date for Uploading Annual Returns for 2010-11 to 2014-15 is June 14, 2017. Failure to Upload all Annual Returns will lead to Cancellation of Registration/Renewal already Granted," Joint Secretary (Foreigners) in the Home Ministry Mukesh Mittal had said in an Order.

The Ministry had said that Starting May 15 & till June 14, NGOs could Upload their Missing Annual Returns along with the Requisite Documents within 30 Days. No Compounding Fee would be Imposed on them for Late Filing of Annual Returns during this Period, & this Exemption was a 1 Time Measure.

As per the Rules, the Renewal of Registration for Receiving Foreign Aid cannot be Granted unless the Organisation Uploads its Annual Returns to the FCRA Website.

Source: http://www.worldtvnews.co.in/?p=169400

Failure to furnish income details: Over 10,000 NGOs under MHA scanner

The ministry had said that between May 15 and June 14, all NGOs could upload their missing annual returns along with the requisite documents.

With many non-government organisations (NGOs) failing to furnish details of their income and expenditure to the government, more than 10,000 of them have come under the scanner of the Home Ministry and may end up losing the licence required to receive any foreign grant.

As many as 18,523 NGOs were given a one-time opportunity by the MHA in May this year to furnish details of their income and expenses by June 14.

The NGOs, which are registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act or FCRA, which allows them to receive financial aid from abroad, were told to submit their annual returns for five years—2010-11 to 2014-15. However, only 8,267 NGOs filed such returns for all the five years, an official said.

The remaining 10,256 NGOs have still not filed all the returns but their details are under examination. A decision whether to give them another opportunity or cancel their licenses will be taken after the analysis, the official added.

There are 2,239 NGOs, which have filed returns for four years, 2,071 for three years, 2,057 for two years and 2,339 for one year, said the official.

The Home Ministry had earlier warned the NGOs that they will lose the registration if they fail to furnish the details. "The last date for uploading annual returns for 2010-11 to 2014-15 is June 14, 2017. Failure to upload the annual returns will lead to cancellation of registration/renewal already granted," joint secretary (foreigners) in the Home Ministry, Mukesh Mittal, had said in an order.

The ministry had said that between May 15 and June 14, all NGOs could upload their missing annual returns along with the requisite documents. No compounding fee will be imposed on them for late filing of annual returns during this period and this exemption was a one-time measure.

According to the rules, the renewal of registration for receiving the foreign aid cannot be granted unless the annual returns are uploaded to the FCRA website by the organisation. There are over 20,000 NGOs registered under the FCRA, the official said.

Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/failure-to-furnish-income-details-over-10000-ngos-under-mha-scanner-4714202/

10,000 more NGOs may lose licence

May not have filed annual returns

The Union Home Ministry is examining if the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licences of over 10,000 NGOs should be cancelled, as they have not complied with the Centre's order to file annual returns under five categories. While over 8,000 NGOs did file the returns under all the five formats, most did not comply entirely.

NGOs that receive foreign grants are required to get a FCRA licence and file five annual return forms. There are over 20,000 NGOs registered under the FCRA.

Since the NDA government came to power, the FCRA licences of more than 11,000 NGOs have been cancelled. More than 1,300 were refused renewal of their licence for violation of the FCRA.

'Deemed expired'

In May this year, the Home Ministry gave 18,523 NGOs whose licences were "deemed expired" on account of non-compliance, a one-time opportunity to give details of their income and expenses by June 14. The NGOs were asked to submit their annual returns for five years, from 2010-11 to 2014-15. However, so far only 8,267 NGOs have filed such returns, a Ministry spokesperson said.

The Home Ministry is examining what action it could take against the remaining 10,256 NGOs that have still not filed all the returns. One of the options it's considering is cancelling their registration.

Govt. warning

A Home Ministry spokesperson said that 2,239 NGOs had filed returns for four years, 2,071 for three years, 2,057 for two years, and 2,339 for one year. The Ministry had earlier warned these NGOs that they might lose their registration if they failed to give all the details.

"The last date for uploading annual returns for 2010-11 to 2014-15 is June 14, 2017. Failure to upload all annual returns will lead to cancellation of registration/renewal already granted," joint secretary (foreigners) in the home ministry Mukesh Mittal had said in an order.

The Ministry had said that starting May 15 and till June 14, NGOs could upload their missing annual returns along with the requisite documents within 30 days. No compounding fee would be imposed on them for late filing of annual returns during this period, and this exemption was a one-time measure.

As per the rules, the renewal of registration for receiving foreign aid cannot be granted unless the organisation uploads its annual returns to the FCRA websi

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/10000-more-ngos-to-lose-fcra-licence/article19110087.ece

Over 10,000 NGOs set to face Home Ministry crackdown over foreign funding

The MHA in May had given 18,523 NGOs a one-time opportunity to furnish details of their income sourced from abroad. MHA had asked these agencies to declare income and its source from abroad by June 14.

Over 10,000 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have come under the scanner of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for not declaring their source of funding from foreign countries and they may even lose their license required to get grants from other nations. The MHA in May had given 18,523 NGOs a one-time opportunity to furnish details of their income sourced from abroad. MHA had asked these agencies to declare income and its source from abroad by June 14.

The MHA had asked these NGOs to declare income received from abroad from the 2010-11 financial year to 2014-15 financial year – a time frame of five years. Out of the 18,523 NGOs who were asked to furnish details only 8,267 NGOs filed details with the Ministry of Home Affairs an official told the Indian Express. The 10,256 NGOs which have failed to file the details are under examination. According to the official, the ministry will decide whether to give these NGOs an extension to furnish details or to revoke the license of these NGOs.

Out of the aforementioned 10,256 NGOs, 2,239 have filed details for four years, 2,071 have filed details for three years, 2,057 have filed details for two years and 2,339 NGOs have only filed details for a single year, according to the report.

The Home Ministry had told these NGOs that they may lose their license if they do not divulge details of the funds they have received from other countries. Mukesh Mittal, Joint Secretary (Foreigners), had in an order stated "Failure to upload returns for these five years will lead to cancellation of licenses which are issued or renewed".

According to the Indian Express report, the NGOs could upload their missing returns between May 15 and June 14. There are 20,000 NGOs registered under the FCRA.

Source: http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/over-10000-ngos-set-to-face-home-ministry-crackdown-over-foreign-funding/729225/

NGO helps financially disadvantaged students pursue higher studies

Currently, TPO funds undergraduate courses, such as Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, among others, which require comparatively lesser fees than professional courses, like engineering.

As students prepare to join colleges soon, dreams of many remain unfulfilled due to financial constraints.
City-based Prasad Narayan's The Power of One (TPO) — a non-profit educational trust — aims to reach out to such students. Narayan, president and managing trustee of TPO, said, "TPO was started in October 2016, where people were requested to keep aside one rupee a day. The aim was to enable people to have 365 rupees each by the end of the year, This money can then by donated to children who have done well in Class XII but do have the financial support for further studies. Initially, it was only family members, friends and well wishers who supported the initiative, but gradually the network grew."

As many as 10 students will be financially supported this academic year. Among them, three are from night colleges — Amar Shinde (scored 80 per cent); Vitthal Deshmukh (scored 79 per cent) and Santosh Padnekar (scored 78 per cent). The trust has paid their fees for the first year of college and will also be sponsoring their education for the remaining two years. Currently, TPO funds undergraduate courses, such as Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science, among others, which require comparatively lesser fees than professional courses, like engineering.

"TPO aims at educating more people and helping them gain a degree, so they don't drop out of school after finishing Class XII," said Narayan.

Narayan had worked in the IT sector for 20 years. He is now a visiting faculty with educational institutes, such as Tata Institute of Social Science, Sri Balaji Society, Maharashtra Institute of Technology and Academy of Engineering.
Unlike other non-governmental organisations, TPO has no minimum donation value, he said.

He added: though initially, the plan was to fund only Class XII passouts, when I read about a child who had passed his SSC with good scores after studying under the streetlights, the trust decided to fund for his education too.

Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/education/ngo-helps-financially-disadvantaged-students-pursue-higher-studies-4716181/

IED Coordinator

Organisation:  Govt of Odisha

Apply By:  27 Jun . 2017

Location:  (Odisha)

Application are invited from eligible candidates for filling up of various post as mentioned below under RTE-SSA, Deogarh district on contract basis with a consolidated remuneration mentioned against the post.

Post:  IED Coordinator

Qualification: Must be a Graduate with 1st. Division from any recognized university with Diploma or professional degree in special Education.

Monthly Remuneration: Rs. 9300 + Rs. 4200 + DA & Other allowances

For more information please check the Link : http://ordistportalcontent.nic.in/storeddata/results/ORIDBRH_RESULTS_2017_7095.pdf

EOI from Reputed Voluntary Organization/ NGO For The Scheme Of NGO Scheme Under “National Programme For Control Of Blindness (NPCB)

Organisation:  Govt of West Bengal

Apply By:  26 Jun. 2017

The District Health & Family Welfare Samity, Diamond Harbour Health District is inviting "Expression of Interest" from reputed voluntary Organization/ NGO for the scheme of NGO scheme under "National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB)" at Diamond Harbour Health District for one year as a Recurring Grant in Aid.

Eligibility Criteria:

Registered Under The Indian Societies Registration Act 1860
Having Well Trained Staff, Infrastructure And The Required Managerial Expertise To Organize And Carry Out Various Activities Under The Scheme; And Having Own Base Hospital As Requisite Of NPCB.
The Base Hospital Must Have In Patient Department & Updated Clinical Establishment License.
Track Record Of Having Experience In Providing Health Service In Eye Care Services Over A Period Of 3 Years.
Properly Constituted Managing Body With Its Powers Duties And Responsibilities Clearly Defined And Laid Down In A Written Constitution.
Must Have Unique ID In NGO Darpan Of NITI Aayog
Willingness To Follow RTI Act 2005

The interested VO/NGO are requested to submit their EOI along with self attested hard copies of all the relevant documents through speed post only to the office of the CMOH Diamond Harbour Health District PO & PS Diamond Harbour Pin 743331 within 26/06/17

For more information please check the Link : https://www.wbhealth.gov.in/uploaded_files/tender/27741.pdf

NGO empowers 17 lakh families in 17 years

Bandhan-Konnagar, a not-for-profit organisation which has been working in the fields of education, health andwomen empowerment, today celebrated "Development Day" on completion of 17 years of its existence. Since 2001, the organisation has transformed the lives of 1.7 million families spread across 11 states of India -- West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Tripura, Jharkhand, Chhattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. So far, its various development programmes have benefited at least 8.5 million people. The organisation has 735 branches spread across 10,356 villages. Its 2,100 employees are actively involved in welfare of the poor as well as in the fields of education, health and women empowerment. The Development Day event was attended by Mr. Bruce Bucknell, British Deputy High Commissioner, Kolkata and Mr Jawhar Sircar, IAS & Ex CEO of Prasar Bharati.In the key note address at the event, Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, Founder & Mentor, Bandhan-Konnagar, said: "I am proud to share with you that in past 17 years we have touched lives of around 17 lakh families, in 11 Indian states. The journey of 17 years is dotted with many milestones and a few setbacks. Setbacks motivated us, and success gave us inspiration. Serving the underprivileged is an integral part of our plans to achieve inclusive growth."Bandhan-Konnagar is registered under the West Bengal Societies Act, 1961. The main objective of the organization is to empower poor people and alleviate poverty. To achieve that, it offers a suite of development programmess in the fields of education, health, livelihood promotion, skills development and financial literacy. The organisation constantly strives to widen its scope of services and minimize areas of income leakage in poor families.UNI PL RN 1529

Source: http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20170618/3127915.html

FCRA Registration

FCRA

Applicability

WHO CAN RECEIVE FORIGN CONTRIBUTION?

A 'person', As Defined In Section 2(1) (m) With The Exclusion Of Those Mentioned In Section 3 Of FCRA, 2010, Having A Definite Cultural, Economic, Educational, Religious Or Social Program Can Receive Foreign Contribution After It Obtains The Prior Permission Of The Central Government, Or Gets Itself Registered With The Central Government.

Explanation 3 Of Section 2(h) Of FCRA, 2010, The Following Is Not Covered In The Definition Of Foreign Contribution:

"Any Amount Received, By Any Person From Any Foreign Source In India, By Way Of Fee (including Fees Charged By An Educational Institution In India From Foreign Student) Or Towards The Cost In Lieu Of Goods Or Services Rendered By Such Person In The Ordinary Course Of His Business, Trade Or Commerce Whether Within India Or Outside India Or Any Contribution Received From An Agent Of A Foreign Source Towards Such Fee Or Cost Shall Be Excluded From The Definition Of Foreign Contribution Within The Meaning Of This Clause."


WHO CANNOT RECEIVE FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION?

As Defined In Section 3(1) Of FCRA, 2010, Foreign Contribution Cannot Be Accepted By Any:

a Candidate For Election;
correspondent, Columnist, Cartoonist, Editor, Owner, Printer Or Publisher Of A Registered Newspaper;
Judge, Government Servant Or Employee Of Any Corporation Or Any Other Body Controlled On Owned By The Government;
member Of Any Legislature;
political Party Or Office Bearer Thereof;
Organization Of A Political Nature As May Be Specified Under Sub- Section (1) Of Section 5 By The Central Government.
association Or Company Engaged In The Production Or Broadcast Of Audio News Or Audio Visuals Or Current Affairs Programs Through Any Electronic Mode, Or Any Other Electronic Form As Defined In Clause (r) Of Sub-section (i) Of Section 2 Of The Information Technology Act, 2000 Or Any Other Mode Of Mass Communication;
Correspondent Or Communist, Cartoonist, Editor, Owner Of The Association Or Company Referred To In Clause (g).

Explanation - In Clause (c) And Section 6, The Expression "corporation' Means A Corporation Owned Or Controlled By The Government And Includes A Government Company As Defined In Section 617 Of The Companies Act, 1956. (i) Individuals Or Associations Who Have Been Prohibited From Receiving Foreign Contribution.

 
FCRA Registration

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR REGISTRATION

For Grant Of Registration, The Association Should:

be Registered Under The Societies Registration Act, 1860 Or The Indian Trusts Act, 1882 Or Section 25 Of The Companies Act, 1956;
Normally Be In Existence For At Least Three Years And Has Undertaken Reasonable Activity In Its Chosen Field For The Benefit Of The Society For Which The Foreign Contribution Is Proposed To Be Utilized. For This Purpose, The Association Should Have Spent At Least Rs. 6, 00, 000 Over Last Three Years On Its Activities, Excluding Administrative Expenditure. Statement Of Income & Expenditure Duly Audited By Chartered Accountant For Last Three Years May Be Enclosed To Substantiate That It Meets The Financial Parameter.
meet The Following Conditions:-

The Person Making An Application For Registration Or Grant Of Prior Permission Under Sub-section (1),- Sec.12 (4) (a):-

is Not Fictitious Or Benami;
has Not Been Prosecuted Or Convicted For Indulging In Activities Aimed At Conversion Through Inducement Or Force, Either Directly Or Indirectly, From One Religious Faith To Another;
has Not Been Prosecuted Or Convicted For Creating Communal Tension Or Disharmony In Any Specified District Or Any Other Part Of The Country;
has Not Been Found Guilty Of Diversion Or Mis-utilisation Of Its Funds;
is Not Engaged Or Likely To Engage In Propagation Of Sedition Or Advocate Violent Methods To Achieve Its Ends;
is Not Likely To Use The Foreign Contribution For Personal Gains Or Divert It For Undesirable Purposes;
has Not Contravened Any Of The Provisions Of This Act;
has Not Been Prohibited From Accepting Foreign Contribution:
The Person And/or Any Of Its Directors Or Office Bearers Have Neither Been Convicted Under Any Law For The Time Being In Force Nor Is Any Prosecution For Any Offence Pending Against Him.

The Acceptance Of Foreign Contribution By The Association / Person Is Not Likely To Affect Pre Judicially -

the Sovereignty And Integrity Of India; Or
the Security, Strategic, Scientific Or Economic Interest Of The State; Or
the Public Interest; Or
freedom Or Fairness Of Election To Any Legislature; Or
friendly Relation With Any Foreign State; Or
harmony Between Religious, Racial, Social, Linguistic, Regional Groups, Castes Or Communities.

The Acceptance Of Foreign Contribution-

shall Not Lead To Incitement Of An Offence;
shall Not Endanger The Life Or Physical Safety Of Any Person.

APPLICABILITY OF SECRETARIAL AUDIT:-

An Application For Registration Of An Organization For Acceptance Of Foreign Contribution Shall Be Made Electronically On-line In Form FC-3, And Shall Be Followed By Forwarding The Hard Copy Of The On-line Application Duly Signed By The Chief Functionary Of The Association Together With The Required Documents:

1. Form FC-3

2. Audited Statement Of Accounts Of Past Three Years.

3. Annual Report Specifying Activities Of Past Three Years.

4. If The Association Is A Registered Trust Or Society A Certified Copy Of The Registration Certificate.

5. Copy Of The Memorandum Of Association And/or The Articles Of Association As Applicable.

6. List Of Main Objects And Definite Programmes For Which The Contribution Is To Be Accepted / Utilized.

7. Details Of Names And Addresses Of The Members Of The Executive Committee/Governing Council Etc. Of The Association.

8. Copy Of Any Prior Permission Granted To The Organization.

9. Copy Of Resolution Of Governing Body Of The Organization, Authorizing The Registration Under FCRA.

10. Copy Of Power Of Attorney Or The Resolution Of Governing Body By Which The Chief Functionary Is Authorized To Submit FC-3.

11. List Of Present Members Of The Governing Body Of The Organization And The Office Bearers.

12. Copy Of Permanent Account Number (PAN) Issued By The Income Tax Department

FCRA Return

ANNUAL RETURN

An Association Permitted To Accept Foreign Contribution Is Required Under Law To Maintain Separate Set Of Accounts And Records Exclusively For The Foreign Contribution Received And Utilized;
Submit An Annual Return, Duly Certified By A Chartered Accountant;
Giving Details Of The Receipt And Purpose- Wise Utilization Of The Foreign Contribution.

TIME PERIOD OF FILING ANNUAL RETURN

The Return Is To Be Filed For Every Financial Year (1st April To 31st March) Within A Period Of Nine Months From The Closure Of The Year I.e. By 31st December Each Year.
Submission Of A 'Nil' Return, Even If There Is No Receipt/utilization Of Foreign Contribution During The Year, Is Mandatory.
The Return Is To Be Submitted, In Prescribed Form FC - 6, Duly Accompanied With:

balance Sheet And
statement Of Receipt And Payment,


Which Is Certified By A Chartered Accountant

FCRA Registration

An NGO can receive donations just after initial registration under trust act. Section 8 of Companies Act 2013. The next milestone is to avail registration for tax exemption on the income of an NGO; it is required to obtain approval from Income tax department under section 12 A, further to attract donor, NGO prefers to get a 80 G Certificate so that contributors can avail tax benefits on the donation made to the NGO.

FCRA registration is required to receive donations outside India; The NGO is required to be registered under the provisions of the foreign contribution regulation act, 1976.

For FCNRO registration an NGO must have completed three years of operations. FCRA Registration is granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. Of India.


Documents Required For FCRA Registration

·         Copy of PAN of the NGO.

·         Past 3 years Audited Balance Sheet, Income & Expenditure Account.

·         Certified copy of Trust Deed/MOA.

·         Detail about the current and past management of the trust.

·         A Copy of certificate issued by the Income Tax Authority under 80G & 12A of the Income Tax Act.

·         Annual report of the NGO and details of work done in past 3 year.

·         True copy of resolution passed by the Governing Body of the NGO.

·         True copy of Undertaking from the Chief Functionary of the NGO.

NGOs must be made accountable

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have a very important role to play in any democracy, more so in developing economies. NGOs are supposedly the custodians of propriety in public life and watchdogs of public interest at large.

The important qualification for any NGO and the people behind it is therefore the highest degree of integrity and character. The day these basic ingredients are compromised, that NGO forfeits its moral right to function.

Unfortunately in recent years, overall degeneration in value system across sections of society has been frighteningly fast and NGOs are no exception. Many NGOs today are playing in the hands of one vested interest or the other. Initially, vested interests used the NGOs by feeding them with information against rival interests and achieved their motives.

However now many NGOs have acquired financial muscle and have now started extorting moneys. An unfortunate methodology of some NGOs is to watch developments until a project promoter has invested time and money. After the promoter gets necessary government clearances/permits and starts the project with a large investment, the NGO starts objecting. At the same time, it quietly meets the promoter and negotiates a deal to extort money.

If the NGO fails to extort desired amounts, it goes to courts of law including Green tribunals. As a matter of fact and in the interest of equity, if promoters have obtained necessary clearances before going ahead with their project, they should not be disturbed.

If the matter comes before adjudicating authorities, they should penalise government agencies that gave clearances for wrongdoing rather than promoters as long as they have adhered to terms of clearances. If the promoters violate any conditions, they should not be spared.

Promoters often face unnecessary litigation after obtaining all clearances and suffer time and cost overruns that make a project unviable. If at the end of the litigation it is found that the promoter has not committed any wrong, the complaining NGO and governments should be directed to make good the loss.

Without such directions, developmental work will suffer on the one hand and on the other entrepreneurs will keep away from projects of national importance.

While in some cases the concerns raised by NGOs are valid, a detailed scrutiny will show that in many cases, the NGOs produce no substantial evidence nor possess expertise in the field. An analysis of the past 25 years is necessary to determine if NGOs have caused more harm than good to people, the economy and the environment.

Another dangerous facet of these NGOs is that many serve the cause of international agencies or multinational corporations by spreading gross lies through expensive media campaigns to influence institutions granting sanctions and those adjudicating issues.

Many major projects, including greenfield projects have been victims of unchecked blackmail by so-called NGOs. India has lost big opportunities in the international market amounting to billions of dollars to rival international players. Lop sided activism has harmed society irreparably.

There are instances of public sector companies engaged in mining activity that had planted millions of trees in the vicinity and provided a green cover being ordered to stop work at the behest of so-called green activists who were proved to be batting for international players.

While highlighting this unfortunate state of affairs in the NGO sector, I do not wish to undermine the importance of NGOs in society. I only want to draw the attention of governments to device a mechanism through which genuine NGOs flourish but those engaging in malpractices are checked.

Similarly, adjudicating authorities should exercise caution before entertaining petitions from any and every NGO.

There is very little accountability of NGOs today.

The need of the hour is to make them accountable. Transparency with regard to their activities and funding must be made public; and NGOs should be asked to put their balance sheets and projects in public domain. NGOs found to be making grossly incorrect allegations twice or thrice should be black listed for at least three years to ensure that the status of an NGO is not misused.

A judicious balance is required to be struck between green activism and development in the interests of the public at large.

Wrongdoings of business and industry are responsible for growth of NGOs, good and unscrupulous; similarly, wrongdoings on the part of NGOs will give an opportunity to trade and industry to play victim.

Under the circumstances, the role of governments and the judiciary becomes more important.

Source: http://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/ngos-must-be-made-accountable-1496872898.html

Notification regarding validation of Bank Accounts

The FCRA Department through its notice dated 7th June, 2017 has now asked 2025 NGOs to update their FCRA bank details by 22-June-2017. The circular in this regard has been attached herewith.

Further, the list of such Associations has been provided in the below link https://fcraonline.nic.in/home/PDF_Doc/fc_list_07062017.pdf

The list is sorted alphabetically. You may search for the name of your organization in the list to ensure whether the name features in the list. If yes, then the details of your FCRA Designated Bank Account and all utilization Accounts should be updated by filing form FC-6 online at https://fcraonline.nic.in/fc_public_login.aspx?Resp_Id=3

Series of workshops on Good and Service Tax (GST) & FCRA Compliance

Dear Colleagues,

Greetings!

As you might be aware that Goods and Service Tax Bill was passed in the Parliament and GST Act would be applicable in India from 1^st July, 2017. Therefore, we have been receiving few queries on the additional compliance requirements for NPOs with respect to GST. Thus, to address significant issues, respond to queries and provide clarity pertaining to the changes in the statutory regulations we are conducting a series of one day workshops on "Good and Service Tax (GST) & FCRA Compliance."

In the first phase, we would be covering 4 Indian cities. The list of cities in the order of the workshop is as follows: 

S.no	Place of workshop	Date of workshop
1	New Delhi	19th July 2017
2	Kolkata	21st July 2017
3	Hyderabad	5th September 2017
4	Bangalore	6th September 2017

A brief overview of the GST Act and its applicable rules would be covered in this workshop with special focus on its applicability to the NGOs. This would also cover other aspects such as Migration to GST, Reverse Charge Mechanism and Subsuming of Existing Taxes such as VAT, Service Tax etc. Apart from GST, a brief update on FCRA covering the latest amendments and Compliances would also be covered in this workshop.

The brochure with the dates for each workshop is being attached for your reference. As the seats are limited to 50 for each venue, we request you to register as soon as possible. To register, please click here. If you have any queries regarding the workshop, you may write to Ms. Akrita Bharos- Capacity Building Coordinator at akrita.bharos@fmsfindia.org

Kindly circulate this brochure widely among your network for wider reach. 

Dr. Sanjay Patra
Executive Director

Inviting Applications for Organizational Capacity Enhancement Program

Dear Colleagues,

Greetings from FMSF!

Financial Management Service Foundation (FMSF) in association with Oracle India is pleased to announce the Capacity Building Program for NGO's entitled "Scalable & Replicable Model of Accountability".  For further details on FMSF, please visit our website www.fmsfindia.org

This program provides a unique opportunity for the NGO's to develop their Governance and Financial Management system. It is a one year program, wherein every organization selected will undergo two workshops focusing at "Strategic Management level"and "Operational Management level" in the areas of Governance, Financial Management and Legal Compliances. This will be followed by mentoring and guiding support which will span over a 6 months period. At the end, every organization who will successfully complete the program will be accredited by FMSF and Oracle India for a period of one year.

This program is being conducted with the generous support of Oracle India and therefore the participating NGO's do not have to make any financial contribution/fees for enrolling in the program.

Learning Objectives:

The programme aims to create centers of excellence by infusing concepts, tools and techniques that will lead to development of robust systems and processes and take the organization towards higher echelon of accountability standards. The other immediate benefits envisaged are:

·  Compliant to legal regulations

·  Professionalization of financial management practices

·  Higher visibility in the sector

·  Attract potential foreign and national funding

·  One year Accreditation by FMSF and Oracle India.

Eligibility Criteria:

This program is targeted towards small and medium scale voluntary organizations who have limited access to funding, technology and professional expertise. The bifurcation of small and medium scale organizations will be done on the basis of annual turnover .i.e.:

·  Small organization- 50 lakhs to 1 crore rupees

·  Medium organization -1 crore to 5 crore rupees

The applying organizations should have:

·  Incorporation certificate

·  12A registration certificate

·  Valid FCRA registration certificate (if any)

·  Organization operational since last 5 years etc.

Program Outreach:

In the pilot phase, 15 NGO's each in small and medium category will be selected from the following states:

·  New Delhi

·  Rajasthan

·  Uttar Pradesh

·  Uttarakhand

Selection Process:

NGO's who come from the above mentioned states which fulfill the above mentioned eligibility criteria are requested to fill in the "Online Application" in the link given below:

 https://docs.google.com/a/fmsfindia.org/forms/d/1O2CzwnYWvLOJx9CM3CkxB2Fe79rtvyVgsitpiZTPQEU/edit?usp=forms_home&ths=true

 The last date of registration is 30th June 2017.

The shortlisted organizations will be sent a confirmation mail of their selection by first week of July 2017. Further, process will be communicated accordingly to selected organizations.Incase of any further clarification or information required, please write to Ms. Akrita Bharos, Capacity Building Coordinator at akrita.bharos@fmsfindia.org.

with regards

Dr. Sanjay Patra
Executive Director

2nd Announcement

Notification regarding filing of Form No. 61 A – Non applicability to NGOs

It has come to our notice that there is a fare bit of confusion regarding filing of Form 61 A for NGO. Therefore we are issuing the following clarification :-

NGOs are not covered under any of the following categories and therefore are not required to file form 61A.

To keep a watch on high value transactions undertaken by the taxpayer, the Income-Tax law has framed the new concept of furnishing of  Statement of Financial Transactions (SFT) in Form No 61A which has to be filed before 31.05.2017 (now extended to 30.06.2017, Notification attached). It has replaced earlier annual information return reporting.

The following persons shall be required to furnish statement of financial transactions or reportable accounts registered or recorded or maintained by them during a financial year to the prescribed authority on or after 1st day of April, 2016.

·         Any person who is liable for audit under section 44AB of the Act

·         Banking Company

·         Co-operative Bank

·         Post Master General of Post office

·         Nidhi referred to in sec 406 of the Companies Act 2013

·         Non-banking Financial Company (NBFC)

·         Any Institution issuing Credit Card

·         Company or Institution issuing bonds or debentures

·         Company issuing shares

·         Trustee of a Mutual Fund

·         Authorized Dealer, Money Changer, Off-shore Banking Unit or any other person defined in FEMA, 1999

·         Inspector-General or Sub-Registrar appointed under Registration Act, 1908

Since the NGO does not fall in any of the above categories, therefore, it is not required to file Form 61A.

Update your FCRA Bank Details Immediately!

FCRA Department has now asked 2025 NGOs to update their FCRA bank details by 22-June-2017. The names of these NGOs are given in a list here:
https://fcraonline.nic.in/home/PDF_Doc/fc_list_07062017.pdf

The list is sorted alphabetically. You can download and search it for your NGO's name. If you are a donor agency, please check the list for names of your grantees or partners, and alert them.

The details should be updated by filing form FC-6 online at https://fcraonline.nic.in/fc_public_login.aspx?Resp_Id=3

If you don't update the details by 22nd June, you may face further action by FCRA Department.

And if you don't share this mail immediately with 10 others, then you alone will be responsible for any misfortune that may befall them! ;)

Around 2,000 NGOs yet to validate FCRA designated accounts, says govt

Around 2,000 NGOs and institutions have not validated their foreign contribution designated accounts with banks, prompting the government to ask them to do it in a fortnight.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said that all NGOs and institutes registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) should receive donations from abroad in a single designated bank account.

According to a latest analysis by the MHA, 2,025 NGOs have not yet validated their FCRA designated accounts. "It is seen that a number of NGOs have not validated their foreign contribution designated accounts causing problems for the banks to comply with the FCRA provisions that they (banks) report to the central government within 48 hours of such receipt or utilisation of foreign contribution," a recent MHA circular said.

"These associations are required to validate their foreign designated accounts and also the utilisation accounts within 15 days and send the details, including the bank branch, code, account number, IFSC etc.," it said.

The NGOs include Bangalore Rural Educational & Development Society, Bangalore Oniyavara Seva Coota and Hemophilia Society's Bengaluru chapter. The NGOs and institutions that find a place in the list also include Indian Red Cross Society, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam and SEWA among others.

The latest circular is part of a series of measures adopted by the NDA government to streamline foreign funds received by the NGOs and institutions. Last month, the MHA had asked 5,845 NGOs to open their accounts in banks having core banking facilities and provide details to allow security agencies to monitor it on a real time basis.

The directive to the NGOs came after an examination found that many of them maintain their accounts in cooperative banks or those without core banking facilities. It was seen as an obstacle by authorities dealing with NGOs in speedily detecting any discrepancies and that is why the NGOs have been asked to open their accounts in nationalised banks or private banks which have core banking facilities.

Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/616956/around-2000-ngos-yet-validate.html

Around 2,000 NGOs yet to validate FCRA designated accounts, says govt

Around 2,000 NGOs and institutions have not validated their foreign contribution designated accounts with banks, prompting the government to ask them to do it in a fortnight.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said that all NGOs and institutes registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) should receive donations from abroad in a single designated bank account.

According to a latest analysis by the MHA, 2,025 NGOs have not yet validated their FCRA designated accounts. "It is seen that a number of NGOs have not validated their foreign contribution designated accounts causing problems for the banks to comply with the FCRA provisions that they (banks) report to the central government within 48 hours of such receipt or utilisation of foreign contribution," a recent MHA circular said.

"These associations are required to validate their foreign designated accounts and also the utilisation accounts within 15 days and send the details, including the bank branch, code, account number, IFSC etc.," it said.

The NGOs include Bangalore Rural Educational & Development Society, Bangalore Oniyavara Seva Coota and Hemophilia Society's Bengaluru chapter. The NGOs and institutions that find a place in the list also include Indian Red Cross Society, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam and SEWA among others.

The latest circular is part of a series of measures adopted by the NDA government to streamline foreign funds received by the NGOs and institutions. Last month, the MHA had asked 5,845 NGOs to open their accounts in banks having core banking facilities and provide details to allow security agencies to monitor it on a real time basis.

The directive to the NGOs came after an examination found that many of them maintain their accounts in cooperative banks or those without core banking facilities. It was seen as an obstacle by authorities dealing with NGOs in speedily detecting any discrepancies and that is why the NGOs have been asked to open their accounts in nationalised banks or private banks which have core banking facilities.

Source: http://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/english/deccan+herald-epaper-deccan/around+2+000+ngos+yet+to+validate+fcra+designated+accounts+says+govt-newsid-68861245

Validate your accounts or no foreign funds: Government to NGOs

According to a circular issued on June 7 2017, the NGOs have been asked to validate the accounts within 15 days.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Government asks NGOs to submit details of their bank accounts.

2. NGOs must validate their accounts to continue receiving foreign funds.

3. Government had cancelled FCRA licences of around 20,000 in December, 2016.

The government has asked over 2000 non-government organisations or NGOs to validate their bank accounts designated to receive funds from foreign countries. Failure to do so could invite action.

Sources in the Home Ministry told India Today that the strict directive has come after several NGOs ignored previous notifications in this regard.

According to a circular issued on June 7 2017, the NGOs have been asked to validate the accounts within 15 days. The circular said all NGOs registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) should receive donations from abroad in a single designated bank account.

In December last year, the government had cancelled FCRA licences of around 20,000 of 33,000 NGOs after they were found to be allegedly violating various provisions of the FCRA.

As per FCRA, if an NGO is put under prior permission category, it is barred to receive foreign funding from abroad without taking permission from the home ministry.

Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ngos-foreign-funding-home-ministry-fcra/1/973455.html

NGOs asked to validate bank accounts for foreign contributions within fortnight

NEW DELHI: The Centre today directed 2,025 NGOs to validate their foreign contribution designated accounts with banks and inform the same to the Home Ministry within the next fortnight.

In a circular, the home ministry said all NGOs which were registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) should receive donations from abroad in a single designated bank account.

However, it is seen that a number of NGOs have not validated their foreign contribution designated accounts causing problems for the banks to comply with the FCRA provisions that they (banks) report to the central government within 48 hours of such receipt or utilisation of foreign contribution.

"These associations are required to validate their foreign designated accounts and also the utilisation accounts within 15 days and send the details, including the bank branch, code, account number, IFSC etc.," joint secretary (foreigners) in the home ministry Mukesh Mittal said.

The home ministry also announced a list of 2,025 NGOs which have not yet validated their FCRA designated accounts.

The Modi government, which has tightened the rules for NGOs, has already cancelled registration of more than 10,000 organisations in the last three years for allegedly non-filing of annual returns as mandated in the FCRA.

In addition, renewals of more than 1,300 NGOs have been denied or closed in recent past for allegedly violating various provisions of the FCRA.

Recently, the home ministry has asked nearly 6,000 NGOs to open their accounts in banks having core banking facilities and furnish details for real time access to security agencies in case of any discrepancy.

The move was initiated after it was detected that many NGOs have their bank accounts in cooperative banks or state government owned apex banks or banks which do not have core banking facilities.

Last month, the home ministry had directed all FCRA registered NGOs to submit their annual income and expenditure records by June 14 failing which the registration will be cancelled.

The order came after it was found that many NGOs have not filed their annual returns for five years -- 2010-11 to 2014- 15.

In November, 2016, the government had directed more than 11,000 NGOs to file applications for renewal of registration by February 28, 2017.

Of the above, 3,500 NGOs have filed applications for renewal till February 2017. Registration of more than 7,000 NGOs were deemed expired due to non-filing of renewal applications.

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ngos-asked-to-validate-bank-accounts-for-foreign-contributions-within-fortnight/articleshow/59040957.cms

Validate foreign fund a/cs or face action, govt tells NGOs

NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday asked over 2,000 NGOs to validate their accounts designated to receive foreign funds and inform the Union home ministry after several organisations failed to do so. Failure to validate the accounts within the stipulated time could invite action, sources in MHA said.

 
According to a circular issued on Wednesday, the NGOs have been asked to validate the accounts within 15 days. The circular said all NGOs registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) should receive donations from abroad in a single designated bank account.

 
However, it is seen that a number of NGOs have not validated their foreign contribution designated accounts causing problems for the banks to comply with the FCRA provisions that they (banks) report to the central government within 48 hours of such receipt or utilisation of foreign contribution, it said.

 
"These associations are required to validate their foreign designated accounts and also the utilisation accounts within 15 days and send the details, including the bank branch, code, account number, IFSC etc," joint secretary (foreigners) in the home ministry Mukesh Mittal said. The MHA attached a list of 2,025 NGOs which have not yet validated their FCRA designated accounts.

 
In last three years, the NDA government has tightened the rules for NGOs. It has already cancelled registration of more than 10,000 organisations for allegedly non-filing of annual returns as mandated in the FCRA. The renewal of licence more than 1,300 NGOs has also been denied or scrapped in the recent past.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/validate-foreign-fund-a/cs-or-face-action-govt-tells-ngos/articleshow/59044942.cms

Why India And Israel Must Work To Shake Off Manipulative NGOs

SNAPSHOT

Foreign-funded NGOs have been a common cause for concern for India and Israel.

The issue is expected to be accorded high priority when Modi and Netanyahu meet.

Israeli and Indian societies embody the histories and aspirations of ancient nations that were colonised, regained their independence amidst turmoil in the late 1940s, and continue to face threats of war and terror. Like India, national independence and self-determination are central to Israel's ethos. After 2,000 years of stateless exile and vulnerability, the political Zionism that began in Europe at the end of the nineteenth century galvanised Jewish populations throughout the world. Jews came to their ancestral homeland in order to restore national independence, and as a result, attacks on this sovereignty result in strong counter-reactions. This background provides the basis for cooperation between Delhi and Jerusalem, which will be celebrated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to Israel, marking 25 years of full diplomatic relations.

In addition to these parallels, Israel and India share the distinction of being targets of political manipulation by powerful non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and their funders, which operate outside the democratic process, with no checks and balances. These activities, although often presented in altruistic and moral terms – such as peace, human rights, economic development, and humanitarian aid – are widely perceived in both countries as a form of neo-colonialism. NGO power is also enhanced by an image of altruism and morality (known as the "halo effect") that protects the organisations and their funders from critical analysis. International journalists, diplomats, and academics give NGOs automatic support, without examining details and hidden agendas, which undermine hard-won national sovereignty and independence.

The Indian concern regarding NGOs prior to Israel's recognition of the issue

Responding to these concerns, in 2010, India passed legislation known as the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA), which prohibits the use of overseas funds for "activities detrimental to the national interest." Criticism was directed at groups such as the Ford Foundation, which, according to the claim, were using the cover of economic development to manipulate Indian culture. Christian aid groups were also suspected of proselytising activities. For example, in March 2017, US-based Compassion International, which funds child development projects in India, was accused of missionary-like activities by the Indian government and has been blocked in its ability to fund projects and placed on the list of organisations requiring "prior permission to bring in funds from overseas" (Mohan, 2017). Similarly, in 2016, the FCRA refused the registration renewal of the Indian Social Action Forum (Insaf), which is funded in part by "Brotfuer die Welt" (a major Protestant aid group) and by a French government "solidarity" organisation.

Israel's experience with foreign-funded NGOs began with obsessive attacks from groups such as Human Rights Watch (based in New York) and Amnesty International (based in London), as well as hundreds of other groups in the NGO "human rights" network. These NGOs lead campaigns of political warfare based on false allegations of "apartheid" and "war crimes," often erasing the terror that is ever present in the Arab-Israeli conflict. When the Israel Defense Forces responds to deadly attacks, the NGO soft-power army labels Israeli soldiers as "war criminals," promotes boycotts, and lobbies for prosecution by the International Criminal Court.

To add credibility, numerous Israel-based NGOs were created over the years, led by fringe political ideologues and activists who work closely with the global groups, repeating the allegations of war crimes and violations of international law. They publish and distribute "reports," write articles in newspapers and social media, and produce videos portraying Israel as the aggressor, and of Palestinian terrorists as innocent victims. Although Israeli in name, these NGOs' receive most of their funds from European government frameworks (including the European Union) amounting to tens of millions of euros annually, as well as private from donors, such as George Soros.

In Israel, as the power of the externally supported NGOs increased, the criticism and demand for funding transparency also grew. Leaked protocols of secret EU meetings to decide on NGO funding to Israeli groups highlighted the goal of political manipulation. These EU documents refer to funding NGOs for the specific objective of convincing Israelis to change their political views to match the preferences and interests of European officials.

This behaviour has led to growing criticism and efforts to offset the damaging influence of the Israeli political organisations that are supported outside the democratic process. The NGO recipients of these European funds are described as "foreign agents," promoting the interests of outsiders, and polarising the society. The artificial power given to the organisations on the far left of the ideological spectrum leads organisations on the right to increase their demands, and dilutes the influence of the majority of Israelis who support more complex and less ideological positions.

As a result, Members of the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) and ministers have advocated for measures to increase transparency regarding external interference (adopted in 2011), and to limit, tax, or prohibit foreign government funding. Legislation adopted in July 2016 requires NGOs receiving more than 50 per cent of their budgets from foreign governments to disclose these details in their publications, letters to government officials, and in Knesset statements (NGO Transparency Law, 2016). Highlighting the anger over European money for radical Israeli NGOs, some MKs proposed that the Israeli government retaliate by supporting opposition NGOs in Europe. For example, an MK declared cynically that Spain "would undoubtedly appreciate funding for groups promoting Basque or Catalan independence; in the same spirit, the government of the UK would appreciate Israeli support for organisations monitoring the British army's day to day contact with civilians in areas it controls in Iraq and Afghanistan" (Eldad, 2012).

The efforts by foreign governments to block this legislation add to the backlash. In August 2015, the EU gave €250,000 to a small group of dissidents known as Breaking the Silence, which campaigns against IDF soldiers. In addition, the European Endowment for Democracy, which is funded by the EU and Member States, provided a parallel group, B'Tselem, with €30,000 for "combating anti-democratic laws aiming to silence opposition."

European diplomats and political figures also criticise the Knesset for debating laws designed to deal with this problem, and go out of their way to meet with the heads of these Israeli NGOs, putting them on the same level (or above) Israel's elected officials. In April, when the German Foreign Minister flagrantly embraced these groups, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled the official meetings, declaring "My policy is clear: not to meet with diplomats who visit Israel and meet with organisations that defame IDF soldiers and try to prosecute our soldiers as war criminals…"

Furthermore, based on the NGO campaigns, Israel, like India, is then singled out for attacks by UN bodies, increasing the erosion of sovereign equality. In 2015, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, appointed by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, amplified the standard NGO allegations. According to the Rapporteur, India's FCRA regulations "are not in conformity with international law, principles and standards." In the Israeli case, UN criticism focuses on the allegedly "anti-democratic" legislation which is said to result in a "narrowing the space for civil society organisations." The corrosive and manipulation by the externally linked NGOs is ignored.

For these reasons, the role of foreign funding for powerful NGOs in both India and Israel, the use of this process in attempts to manipulate the societies and cultures, and the impact on national sovereignty provide important areas for cooperation. Given these shared concerns, discussions on how to reduce the disproportionate power of externally-directed NGOs is expected to be on the agenda when Prime Ministers Modi and Netanyahu meet.

The writer works for the Political Science Department, Bar Ilan University and President, NGO Monitor Research Institute, Jerusalem, Israel

This piece is a part of our special series on Israel.

Source: https://swarajyamag.com/politics/why-india-and-israel-must-work-to-shake-off-manipulative-ngos

Highlights of initiatives under NITI Aayog

NITI Ayog, The National Institution for Transforming India, was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015. NITI Ayog has emerged as the premier policy 'Think Tank' of the Government of India fostering the spirit of cooperative federalism under the dynamic leadership of  Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Ever since its inception the institution has taken a series of initiatives aimed at giving a push to the economy and transforming the lives of millions across the country.

Following are the highlights of the initiatives taken by NITI Ayog:

       I.            Vision Document, Strategy & Action Agenda beyond 12th Five Year Plan: Replacing the Five Year Plans beyond 31st March, 2017, NITI Aayog is in the process of preparing the 15-year vision document keeping in view the social goals set and/ or proposed for a period of 15 years; A 7-year strategy document spanning 2017-18 to 2023-24 to convert the longer-term vision into implementable policy and action as a part of a "National Development Agenda" is also being worked upon. The 3-year Action Agenda for 2017-18 to 2019-20, aligned to the predictability of financial resources during the 14th Finance Commission Award period, has been completed and will be submitted before the Hon'ble PM on April 23rd at the 3rd Governing Council Meeting

    II.            Reforms in Agriculture:

 a. Model Land Leasing Law

Taking note of increasing incidents of leasing in and out of land and suboptimal use of land with lesser number of cultivators, NITI Aayog has formulated a Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act, 2016 to both recognize the rights of the tenant and safeguard interest of landowners. A dedicated cell for land reforms was also set up in NITI. Based on the model act, Madhya Pradesh has enacted separate land leasing law and Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have modified their land leasing laws. Some States, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, are already at an advance stage of formulating legislations to enact their land leasing laws for agriculture.

b. Reforms of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act

NITI Aayog consulted with the States on 21 October 2016 on three critical reforms –

(i)                 Agricultural marketing reforms

(ii)               Felling and transit laws for tree produce grown at private land

(iii)             Agricultural land leasing

 

Subsequently, Model APMC Act version 2 prepared. States are being consulted to adopt APMC Act version 2.

c. Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index

NITI Aayog has developed the first ever 'Agriculture Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index' to sensitise states about the need to undertake reforms in the three key areas of Agriculture Market Reforms, Land Lease Reforms and Forestry on Private Land (Felling and Transit of Trees). The index carries a score with a minimum value "0" implying no reforms and maximum value "100" implying complete reforms in the selected areas.

As per NITI Aayog's index, Maharashtra ranks highest in implementation of various agricultural reforms. The State has implemented most of the marketing reforms and offers the best environment for undertaking agri-business among all the States and UTs.  Gujarat ranks second with a score of 71.50 out of 100, closely followed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Almost two third States have not been able to reach even the halfway mark of reforms score, in the year 2016-17. The index aims to induce a healthy competition between States and percolate best practices in implementing farmer-friendly reforms.

 III.            Reforming Medical Education

 A committee chaired by Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog recommended scrapping of the Medical Council of Indi and suggested a new body for regulating medical education. The draft legislation for the proposed National Medical Commission has been submitted to the Government for further necessary action.

  IV.            Digital Payments Movement:

a.       An action plan on advocacy, awareness and co-ordination of handholding efforts among general public, micro enterprises and other stakeholders was prepared. Appropriate literature in print and multimedia was prepared on the subject for widespread dissemination. Presentations/ interactions were organized by NITI Aayog for training and capacity building of various Ministries/Departments of Government of India, representatives of State/UTs, Trade and Industry Bodies as well as all other stakeholders.    

b.      NITI Aayog also constituted a Committee of Chief Ministers on Digital Payments on 30th November 2016 with Hon'ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, as the Convener to promote transparency, financial inclusion and a healthy financial ecosystem nationwide.  The Committee submitted its interim report to Hon'ble Prime Minister in January 2017.

c.       To incentivize the States/UTs for promotion of digital transactions, Central assistance of Rs. 50 crore would be provided to the districts for undertaking Information, Education and Communication activities to bring 5 crore Jan Dhan accounts to digital platform.

d.      Cashback and referral bonus schemes were launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister on 14.4.2017 to promote the use of digital payments through the BHIM App.

e.       Niti Aayog also launched two incentive schemes to to promote digital payments across all sections of society - the Lucky Grahak Yojana and the Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana  –Over 16 lakh consumers and merchants have won Rs. 256 crore under these two schemes .

f.       Digi Dhan Melas were also held for 100 days in 100 cities, from December 25th to April 14th.  

     V.            Atal Innovation Mission: The Government has set up Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in NITI Aayog with a view to strengthen the country's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem by creating institutions and programs that spur innovation in schools, colleges, and entrepreneurs in general. In 2016-17, the following major schemes were rolled out:

a.       Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs): To foster creativity and scientific temper in students, AIM is helping to establish 500 ATLs in schools across India, where students can design and make small prototypes to solve challenges they see around them, using rapid prototyping technologies that have emerged in recent years.

b.      Atal Incubation Centres (AICs): AIM will provide financial support of  Rs.10 crore and capacity buidling for setting AICs across India, which will help startups expand quicker and enable innovation-entrepreneurship, in core sectors such as manufacturing, transport, energy, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, etc.

 VI.            Indices Measuring States' Performance in Health, Education and Water Management: As part of the Prime Minister's Focus on outcomes, NITI has come out with indices to measure incremental annual outcomes in critical social sectors like health, education and water with a view to nudge the states into competing with each other for better outcomes, while at the same time sharing best practices & innovations to help each other - an example of competitive and cooperative federalism..


VII.            Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Rationalization of Centrally Sponsored Schemes: Based on the recommendations of this Sub-Group, a Cabinet note was prepared by NITI Aayog which was approved by the Cabinet on 3rd August, 2016. Among several key decision, the sub-group led to the rationalization of the existing CSSs into 28 umbrella schemes.

 

VIII.            Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Constituted by NITI Aayog on 9th March, 2015, the Sub-Group has submitted its report to the Hon'ble Prime Minister in October, 2015 and most of its recommendations have been accepted.

  IX.            Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Skill Development: Constituted on 9th March, 2015, the report of the Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Skill Development was presented before the Hon'ble Prime Minister on 31/12/2015. The recommendation and actionable points emerging from the Report were approved by the Hon'ble Prime Minister and are in implementation by the Ministry of Skill Development

     X.            Task Force on Elimination of Poverty in India: Constituted on 16th March, 2015 under the Chairmanship of Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, the report of the Task Force was finalized and submitted to Hon'ble Prime Minister on 11th July, 2016. The report of the Task Force primarily focusses on issues of measurement of poverty and strategies to combat poverty. Regarding estimation of poverty, the report of the Task Force states that "a consensus in favour of either the Tendulkar or a higher poverty line did not emerge. Therefore, the Task Force has concluded that the matter be considered in greater depth by the country's top experts on poverty before a final decision is made. Accordingly, it is recommended that an expert committee be set up to arrive at an informed decision on the level at which the poverty line should be set." With respect to strategies to combat poverty, the Task Force has made recommendations on faster poverty reduction through employment intensive sustained rapid growth and effective implementation of anti-poverty programs.

 
 XI.            Task Force on Agriculture Development: The Task Force on Agricultural development was constituted on 16th March, 2015 under the Chairmanship of Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog. The Task Force based on its works prepared an occasional paper entitled "Raising Agricultural Productivity and Making Farming Remunerative for Farmers" focusing on 5 critical areas of Indian Agriculture. These are (i) Raising Productivity, (ii) Remunerative  Prices to Farmers, (iii) Land Leasing, Land Records  & Land Titles; (iv) Second Green Revolution-Focus on Eastern States; and (v) Responding to Farmers' Distress. After taking inputs of all the States on occasional paper and through their reports, the Task Force submitted the final report to Prime Minister on 31st May, 2016. It has suggested  important policy measures to bring in reforms in agriculture for the welfare of the farmers as well as enhancing their income.

 
XII.            Transforming India Lecture Series:  As the government's premier think-tank, NITI Aayog views knowledge building & transfer as the enabler of real transformation in States. To build knowledge systems for States and the Centre, NITI Aayog launched the 'NITI Lectures: Transforming India' series, with full support of the Prime Minister on 26th August 2016. The lecture series is aimed at addressing the top policy making team of the Government of India, including members of the cabinet and several top layers of the bureaucracy. It aims is to bring cutting edge ideas in development policy to Indian policy makers and public, so as to promote the cause of transformation of India into a prosperous modern economy. The Hon'ble Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Shri Tharman Shanmugaratnam, delivered the first lecture on the topic: India and the Global Economy. On November 16th, 2016, Bill Gates, Co-Founder, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, delivered the second lecture in the series under the theme: 'Technology and Transformation'.

Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=163340

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Information for All

It has come to the notice of Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD), Government of India that certain unauthorized sites/organizations/ NGOs/individuals are distributing illegal forms in the name of cash incentive under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme. The scheme has no provision for individual CASH TRANSFER COMPONENT by Government of India. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme focuses on challenging mindsets and deep rooted patriarchy in the societal system, strict enforcement of PC&PNDT Act, advancing education of the girl child: focus is on issues of women empowerment on a life cycle continuum. It is not a DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) scheme.

The Ministry of Women & Child Development has taken up this matter with the State Government Authorities where this illegal activity has taken place namely, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. The warning has been broadcast several times by this Ministry on print media as well as electronic media to this effect. The Ministry had advised that no personal details should be shared in this regard and no one should subscribe to such fraudulent scheme.However, still some people are falling prey to such frauds and paying money or disclose personal details in name of such non-existent benefit being falsely offered in the name of BBBP scheme. The general public is therefore, once again advised not to fall prey into this fake and fraudulent information.

Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=163309