‘Designated authority’ to look into foreign funding

Bill proposes to create a body to manage assets of NGOs that lose FCRA licences

- PREETHA NAIR @NewDelhi

THE government on Wednesday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), which will significantly tighten the government oversight on foreign-funded organisations in the country.

The bill proposes to create of a powerful new authority to seize and manage the assets of an NGO that lose its FCRA licence.

The FCRA Bill, 2026, moved by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, sought a comprehensive statutory framework for vesting, supervision, management, and disposal of foreign contributions and assets through a “designated authority”, including provisional and permanent vesting.

At present, approximately 16,000 NGOs are registered under the Act and receive around %22,000 crore annually, the government said.