The 2026 Bill is still a proposed Bill, not yet a law. The government describes it as strengthening transparency and accountability, while critics have raised concerns about its effect on NGOs and civil society.
FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 — 10 Major Changes
No. Issue Existing FCRA, 2010 Proposed FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026
1 FCRA registration expiry Registration is generally valid for 5 years and must be renewed. If registration expires, is not renewed, or renewal is refused, the certificate can be treated as ceased.
2 Designated Authority Existing provisions deal with foreign-funded assets after cancellation/surrender. A Designated Authority would be created to manage, preserve and deal with foreign-funded assets in specified circumstances.
3 Provisional vesting of assets Section 15 already provides for vesting in certain cancellation/surrender situations. Provisional vesting can also follow cessation of the FCRA certificate; assets can be restored if registration is subsequently renewed/restored.
4 Permanent vesting No comparable new framework for cessation is provided under the existing Act. If registration is not restored within the prescribed period, assets can become permanently vested with the Designated Authority.
5 Assets created with mixed funding The existing framework is less explicit on the treatment of assets partly created from foreign and domestic funds. The Bill provides a mechanism for dealing with assets created using both foreign contribution and domestic funds, including claims concerning the domestic-funded portion.
6 Transfer/disposal of assets Existing law contains provisions concerning management of vested assets. Permanently vested assets may be transferred or disposed of according to the proposed framework; proceeds and unutilised foreign contribution are dealt with as specified by the Bill.
7 Prior-permission funds Prior permission allows specified foreign contribution for a particular purpose/amount. The government can prescribe a time period within which the approved contribution must be received and utilised.
8 “Key functionaries” Responsibility is primarily connected with office-bearers and persons covered by the Act. The Bill broadens the concept of key functionaries, potentially covering persons who exercise significant control over the organisation or its foreign-funded activities.
9 Maximum imprisonment Certain violations can attract imprisonment of up to 5 years. The Bill proposes reducing the maximum imprisonment to 1 year, thereby rationalising the penalty.
10 Appeal/revision mechanism Existing provisions provide specified remedies under the FCRA framework. The Bill introduces revision and judicial appeal to a District Judge against orders of the Designated Authority.
The biggest proposed change
The most significant change is arguably the treatment of assets created using foreign contributions.
For example, suppose an NGO uses foreign donations to build a school, hospital, community centre or other property. If its FCRA registration ceases, the Bill creates a mechanism under which the asset can first be provisionally vested with the Designated Authority. If the organisation's registration is restored within the prescribed period, the asset can be restored. If not, the asset can ultimately become permanently vested.
Why is the Bill controversial?
The Government's position is that stronger controls are necessary to ensure transparency, accountability and that foreign contributions are not used against national interests.
Critics, however, argue that the proposed asset-vesting and registration provisions could give the government substantial leverage over foreign-funded NGOs and civil-society organisations.
In simple terms: the Bill is not merely about who can receive foreign money. It also creates a more detailed legal framework for what happens to foreign-funded money and property when an organisation loses, fails to renew, or otherwise ceases to have FCRA registration.
ज़रूर। नीचे FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 के 10 प्रमुख प्रस्तावित बदलावों को सरल हिंदी में दिया गया है। ध्यान रहे कि 9 अगस्त 2026 तक यह अभी लोकसभा में लंबित Bill है, कानून नहीं बना है।
FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 — वर्तमान कानून बनाम प्रस्तावित बदलाव
क्र. विषय वर्तमान FCRA, 2010 2026 Bill में प्रस्तावित बदलाव
1 FCRA प्रमाणपत्र की समाप्ति FCRA registration सामान्यतः 5 वर्ष के लिए होता है और renewal आवश्यक है। समय पर renewal न होने, renewal के लिए आवेदन न करने या renewal अस्वीकार होने पर certificate “ceased” माना जा सकता है।
2 Designated Authority मौजूदा कानून में cancellation/surrender के बाद assets के vesting की व्यवस्था है। एक Designated Authority बनाई जाएगी, जो कुछ परिस्थितियों में विदेशी धन और उससे बनी संपत्तियों को अपने अधीन लेकर उनका प्रबंधन करेगी।
3 संपत्तियों का अस्थायी अधिग्रहण/vesting मुख्यतः cancellation या surrender की परिस्थितियों में व्यवस्था। certificate के cease होने पर भी foreign-funded assets और धन पहले provisionally vest हो सकते हैं। बाद में registration बहाल होने पर उन्हें लौटाया जा सकता है।
4 स्थायी vesting certificate के केवल non-renewal के लिए ऐसा विस्तृत framework नहीं है। निर्धारित अवधि में नया/renewed/restored certificate न मिलने पर assets permanently vest हो सकते हैं।
5 विदेशी + घरेलू धन से बनी संपत्ति ऐसी mixed-funded assets के लिए वर्तमान व्यवस्था अपेक्षाकृत कम स्पष्ट है। विदेशी और घरेलू दोनों धन से बनी संपत्तियों को भी नए vesting framework में शामिल किया जा सकता है।
6 संपत्ति का हस्तांतरण या बिक्री मौजूदा कानून में cancellation/surrender के बाद assets के प्रबंधन की व्यवस्था है। स्थायी रूप से vested assets को सरकारी मंत्रालय/विभाग/एजेंसी को transfer या निर्धारित प्रक्रिया से बेचने की शक्ति दी जा सकती है। बिक्री की राशि Consolidated Fund of India में जा सकती है।
7 Prior Permission बिना FCRA registration वाले eligible recipient को विशेष उद्देश्य/स्रोत के लिए prior permission मिल सकती है। ऐसी अनुमति के तहत मिले foreign contribution को सरकार द्वारा निर्धारित अवधि में प्राप्त और उपयोग करना होगा।
8 Key Functionaries संस्था के office-bearers आदि की जिम्मेदारियाँ निर्धारित हैं। “Key functionaries” की भूमिका और जिम्मेदारी को अधिक स्पष्ट/व्यापक किया जा रहा है।
9 अधिकतम जेल की सजा कुछ FCRA उल्लंघनों में अधिकतम 5 वर्ष तक imprisonment हो सकती है। अधिकतम imprisonment को 5 वर्ष से घटाकर 1 वर्ष करने का प्रस्ताव है।
10 अपील/कानूनी उपाय cancellation आदि के विरुद्ध मौजूदा कानून में कुछ appeal provisions हैं। Designated Authority के orders के विरुद्ध revision/appeal की नई व्यवस्था प्रस्तावित है। लेकिन renewal denial के विरुद्ध स्पष्ट appeal mechanism न होने को PRS ने एक महत्वपूर्ण concern बताया है।
सबसे बड़ा बदलाव क्या है?
इस Bill का सबसे महत्वपूर्ण हिस्सा foreign contribution से बनाई गई संपत्तियों से संबंधित है।
मान लीजिए किसी NGO ने विदेशी सहायता से अस्पताल, स्कूल, पुस्तकालय या भवन बनाया। यदि उसका FCRA certificate समाप्त हो जाता है क्योंकि उसने renewal नहीं कराया या renewal अस्वीकार हो गया, तो प्रस्तावित कानून के तहत उस foreign-funded asset को Designated Authority के अधीन provisional vesting किया जा सकता है। यदि निर्धारित समय में certificate फिर से प्राप्त/renew नहीं होता, तो vesting स्थायी हो सकती है।
एक महत्वपूर्ण उदाहरण PRS ने दिया है: यदि किसी संस्था ने FCRA धन से अस्पताल बनाया और बाद में FCRA registration renew नहीं किया, तो वह अस्पताल भी प्रस्तावित व्यवस्था के तहत Designated Authority के अधीन जा सकता है, भले ही संस्था बाद में घरेलू धन से अस्पताल चला रही हो।
सरल शब्दों में
पुराना दृष्टिकोण:
विदेशी धन प्राप्त करने और उसके उपयोग को नियंत्रित करना।
2026 Bill का प्रस्तावित अतिरिक्त दृष्टिकोण:
विदेशी धन से पहले बनाई गई संपत्तियों का क्या होगा, यह भी सरकार के नियंत्रण वाले एक विशेष framework के अंतर्गत लाना।
इसलिए इस Bill का असर केवल NGOs के foreign donations पर नहीं, बल्कि foreign-funded schools, hospitals, institutions, buildings और अन्य assets पर भी पड़ सकता है।
नोट: यह अभी प्रस्तावित कानून है; अंतिम प्रभाव संसद द्वारा Bill पारित होने और उसके लागू होने के बाद ही निश्चित होगा।
The 2026 Bill is still a proposed Bill, not yet a law. The government describes it as strengthening transparency and accountability, while critics have raised concerns about its effect on NGOs and civil society.
FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 — 10 Major Changes
No. Issue Existing FCRA, 2010 Proposed FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026
1 FCRA registration expiry Registration is generally valid for 5 years and must be renewed. If registration expires, is not renewed, or renewal is refused, the certificate can be treated as ceased.
2 Designated Authority Existing provisions deal with foreign-funded assets after cancellation/surrender. A Designated Authority would be created to manage, preserve and deal with foreign-funded assets in specified circumstances.
3 Provisional vesting of assets Section 15 already provides for vesting in certain cancellation/surrender situations. Provisional vesting can also follow cessation of the FCRA certificate; assets can be restored if registration is subsequently renewed/restored.
4 Permanent vesting No comparable new framework for cessation is provided under the existing Act. If registration is not restored within the prescribed period, assets can become permanently vested with the Designated Authority.
5 Assets created with mixed funding The existing framework is less explicit on the treatment of assets partly created from foreign and domestic funds. The Bill provides a mechanism for dealing with assets created using both foreign contribution and domestic funds, including claims concerning the domestic-funded portion.
6 Transfer/disposal of assets Existing law contains provisions concerning management of vested assets. Permanently vested assets may be transferred or disposed of according to the proposed framework; proceeds and unutilised foreign contribution are dealt with as specified by the Bill.
7 Prior-permission funds Prior permission allows specified foreign contribution for a particular purpose/amount. The government can prescribe a time period within which the approved contribution must be received and utilised.
8 “Key functionaries” Responsibility is primarily connected with office-bearers and persons covered by the Act. The Bill broadens the concept of key functionaries, potentially covering persons who exercise significant control over the organisation or its foreign-funded activities.
9 Maximum imprisonment Certain violations can attract imprisonment of up to 5 years. The Bill proposes reducing the maximum imprisonment to 1 year, thereby rationalising the penalty.
10 Appeal/revision mechanism Existing provisions provide specified remedies under the FCRA framework. The Bill introduces revision and judicial appeal to a District Judge against orders of the Designated Authority.
The biggest proposed change
The most significant change is arguably the treatment of assets created using foreign contributions.
For example, suppose an NGO uses foreign donations to build a school, hospital, community centre or other property. If its FCRA registration ceases, the Bill creates a mechanism under which the asset can first be provisionally vested with the Designated Authority. If the organisation's registration is restored within the prescribed period, the asset can be restored. If not, the asset can ultimately become permanently vested.
Why is the Bill controversial?
The Government's position is that stronger controls are necessary to ensure transparency, accountability and that foreign contributions are not used against national interests.
Critics, however, argue that the proposed asset-vesting and registration provisions could give the government substantial leverage over foreign-funded NGOs and civil-society organisations.
In simple terms: the Bill is not merely about who can receive foreign money. It also creates a more detailed legal framework for what happens to foreign-funded money and property when an organisation loses, fails to renew, or otherwise ceases to have FCRA registration.
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