Govt plans national register, unique ID for NGOs

This register would be maintained by the Niti-Aayog and it would be operated through a portal, where all the NGOs would have to register. This move follows a crackdown by the Narendra Modi government on the on the foreign-funded NGOs, some of which have also faced suspension over the past two years. This move would also help create a central database of all the NGOs operating in the country, said a govt official.

 Niti-Aayog has prepared the consultation document in coordination with the Prime Minister’s Office and the register would also have details of all members of the governing council of the NGO. During the Inter-State Council meeting, Centre would try to push the point that the states also need to instruct their respective Registrars of Societies to direct the NGOs within their purview to register with the portal and get the unique identity number.

Though the state governments are not likely to oppose the move per se but NGO sector activists point to the fact that this could be used as a tool to harass such organizations that raise their voice against the government. Last month the Centre had suspended  foreign contribution registration of Lawyers Collective, an NGO run by former Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising and her husband Anand Grover.