FCRA-registered non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in India have dropped by about half over the last decade, even as the total foreign funding received by such entities has increased, officials told a parliamentary panel in New Delhi.
The information was shared during the first meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The committee is chaired by BJP Lok Sabha MP Sanjay Jaiswal and includes 31 MPs. The Bill was referred to the panel after opposition parties raised objections in Parliament.
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan said India currently has 14,466 FCRA-registered NGOs, compared with 29,022 in 2015. He added that foreign contributions received by NGOs rose from Rs 17,832 crore in 2015-16 to Rs 22,974 crore in 2024-25.
Tamil Nadu has the highest number of FCRA-registered organisations at 2,102, according to the officials. For 2024-25, the United States was the largest source of foreign contributions, providing Rs 12,113 crore.
The Home Secretary also said religious organisations received Rs 5,150 crore in 2024-25, including Rs 1,345 crore for Christian organisations, Rs 328 crore for Hindu organisations and Rs 19 crore for Muslim organisations. He added that FCRA registrations of 21,983 NGOs have been cancelled so far.
