NGOs have 30 days to file annual returns

The Centre on Tuesday gave 30 days to all the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) interested in renewal of their registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) to submit their annual reports, a statement said.

According to the Home Ministry statement, this exemption is a one-time measure and available to those organisations that uploaded their missing annual returns between FY 2010-11 and FY 2014-15.

"All such NGOs can upload their missing annual returns along with the requisite documents within 30 days, starting from May 15 to June 14," it said.

Making the filing of annual returns mandatory for registration under the FCRA, the ministry has decided that "no compounding fee will be imposed on them for late filing of annual returns".

The Home Ministry in 2012 cancelled registration of 4,138 NGOs and in 2015 of 10,117, which failed to comply with the the provisions of the FCRA.

The acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution is regulated under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA), and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rule, 2011 (FCRR).