Govt cancels FCRA licences of 20,000 NGOs, only 13,000 out of 33,000 now legally valid; Kiran Bedi calls it 'massive clean up'

The government on Tuesday cancelled the FCRA licences of 20,000 out of 33,000 NGOs for violation of laws, reports said. 

Only 13,000 NGOs in the country are now legally valid as the licences of 20,000 such organisations have been cancelled for incomplete documentation.

On December 15, 7 NGOs, including one run by activist Shabnam Hashmi, were barred by the government from receiving foreign funds after their FCRA licences were cancelled following alleged adverse intelligence reports against them. 

The decision was taken after the Home Ministry conducted an inquiry into the functioning of the NGOs whose FCRA licences were renewed in the recent past. 

There were adverse intelligence inputs against the seven NGOs ranging from allegedly working against public interest by using foreign funds, painting the government as "anti- Dalit" abroad, besides others. 

A red-faced Home Ministry has seen a series of faux pas in the matter of NGOs. On December 14, it had cancelled renewal of FCRA licence of Greenpeace India and two NGOs run by activist Teesta Setalvad - Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace - two months after "inadvertently" allowing their registration for five more years. 

Yes massive clean up. Kudos to Govt for this massive exercise. Clearing arrears. https://t.co/cp9wUpHqQH

— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) December 27, 2016

Huge cleaning up of the system in several directions..! Bound to hurt vested interests.. https://t.co/yIEmEo7jE6

— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) December 27, 2016

(With inputs from PTI)