GOVT CANCELS LICENCES OF 8,975 NGOS FOR FAILING TO FILE ANNUAL RETURNS

After suspending the FCRA registration of Greenpeace India and putting foreign donor Ford Foundation on the watchlist, the government has now cancelled the licences of 8,975 NGOs for failing to file annual returns for the years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.

In a cancellation order issued on Sunday, the Union home ministry recalled that it had issued notices to 10,343 NGOs on October 16, 2014, stating that they should file their annual returns within a month, specifying amount of foreign funds received, sources of such funds, the purpose for which these were received and the manner in which such foreign contribution was utilized. However, only 229 NGOs reverted to the home ministry. Their replies are being examined on case to case basis.