Thousands of NGOs in limbo over renewal

Not just Missionaries of Charity, the international trust Mother Teresa worked for India, but thousands of Non-Government Organisations and charitable trusts are awaiting a decision from the government on the renewal of their permissions to receive foreign funds by the year-end. As The Hindu had reported in recent weeks, at least 10 international NGOS, including the European Climate Foundation, Omidyar Network and Walk Free foundation were placed on the Prior Reference Category earlier this year, And last week, the Minsistry of Home Affairs cancelled the FCRA registration of two Christian NGOs. In several cases in the past few years, the government has refused to disclose its reasons for putting NGOs on the “prior permission” watch list or suspending or cancelling their FCRA licences. One of those NGOs, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative has challenged the FCRA sus issued by the government in court, but at a hearing on December 7, the additional solicitor general informed the Delhi High Court that the government declined to show its records to court. With days to go until December 31, NGOs said they were worried their licences would expire without the government even finishing their scrutiny on thousands of pending applications.