New Delhi: At a time when some NGOs are under
surveillance for allegedly routing foreign funds to fuel
unrest in India, government records show that nearly 22,000
voluntary groups have received Rs 10,000 crore donations from
abroad for social service during 2009-10.
Of these NGOs, 3,218 belong to Tamil Nadu which together
received Rs 1663.31 crore as contribution from abroad, mostly
the US, the UK, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
The report, prepared by the Home Ministry and vetted by
Union Home Secretary RK Singh on January 11, came weeks after
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that NGOs with foreign
funds were stoking protests at the Kudankulam nuclear plant in
Tamil Nadu.
The Home Ministry has put 12 NGOs under surveillance for
allegedly misusing funds while cases have been registered
against four others.
"21,508 associations reported a total receipt of Rs
10,337.59 crore as foreign contribution. Among the states and
the Union Territories, the highest receipt of foreign
contribution was reported by Delhi (Rs 1815.91 crore),
followed by Tamil Nadu (Rs 1663.31 crore) and Andhra Pradesh
(Rs 1324.87 crore).
"Among the districts, the highest receipt of foreign
contribution was reported by Chennai (Rs 871.60 crore),
followed by Bangalore (Rs 702.43 crore) and Mumbai (Rs 606.63
crore)," the report said.
From the analysis of the data for the last three years --
from 2007-08 to 2009-10 -- it emerges that the US continues to
be the biggest donor country.
Among the recipient associations, World Vision India,
Tamil Nadu, received the highest amount of foreign
contribution (Rs 208.94 crore in 2009-10).
Rural Development Trust, Ananthapur, Andhra Pradesh,
received Rs 151.31 crore and Shri Sevasubramania Nadar
Educational Charitable Trust, Tamil Nadu, received Rs 94.28
crore as foreign contribution during 2009-10.
'Establishment Expenses' (Rs 1482.58 crore) is the
biggest sector for which foreign contribution was utilised,
while Rs 944.13 crore was spent for rural development and Rs
742.42 crore for welfare of children.
The list of foreign donors is topped by the Gospel For
Asia Inc, USA (Rs 232.71 crore) followed by the Fundacion
Vicente Ferrer, Barcelona, Spain (Rs 228.60 crore) and the
World Vision Global Centre, US (Rs 197.62 crore).
The report said, though the number of Associations
reporting receipt and utilisation of foreign contribution is
increasing; yet, it is a matter of concern that a large number
of registered Associations still do not submit their statutory
annual returns mandated by the law.
"This deficiency is being suitably addressed to ensure
that all registered Associations discharge their mandated
obligation by submitting their statutory annual returns on
time," it said.
Although there is no centralised database on the number of
NGOs in the country and the quantum of finance involved in
their operations, unofficial figures indicate that there are
over 20 lakh NGOs registered under Societies' Registration
Act, Trust Act etc. The number of NGOs registered under FCRA
would be less than 2 percent of the total NGOs.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, March 11, 2012, 10:25