Union Government Revokes Church Of North India's FCRA Licence, Will Put An End To Funding From US And Europe

The Union Home Ministry has revoked the Foreign Contribution Registration Act (FCRA) licence of the Church of North India (CNI), a prominent evangelical organisation that has been active since 1970.

As per reports by Economic Times, officials cited alleged violations of rules as the reason behind the decision, stating that the trust cannot receive or utilise foreign contributions until the licence is renewed.

The CNI, formed through the merger of six different churches, including the Church of India (formerly known as the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma, and Ceylon), has been engaged in various social service programmes through its Synodical Board of Social Services.

CNI has been receiving donations from various countries, including the United States, Europe and Canada.

The decision comes as part of the government's broader crackdown on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) violating FCRA regulations.

NGOs with FCRA licences are required to apply for renewal, and the deadline, initially set for September 2020, has been extended until 31 March 2024.

However, the ministry has been actively reviewing and taking action against organisations found in violation.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) grants FCRA licences for five years and reviews applications based on annual returns and the purpose-specific utilisation of foreign grants.

Any misuse or diversion of foreign funds by NGOs is considered a violation of the FCRA.

In the past year, more than a hundred NGOs, including well-known entities like the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, Oxfam India, Centre for Policy Research (CPR), and Care India, have faced cancellations, suspensions, denial of renewal, or deemed expiration of their FCRA licences.