Foreign funds without FCRA: Govt may bring in 2-time limit for NGOs

Officials have interpreted Section 12 (b) and (c) of FCRA and FCRA Rule 9 to arrive at the conclusion that an NGO should be permitted to receive foreign funds through the prior permission route only twice, sources said.

As per FCRA, an organisation applying for prior permission should have prepared a reasonable project for the benefit of society for which the foreign funding is proposed to be utilised.

The rules state that an organisation can apply for prior permission for the same project a second time only after six months from the first application. According to MHA officials, the rules do not make a mention of applying for prior permission for the same project more than twice.