Overview

• From May 27, NGOs seeking FCRA registration must file audited financial statements for the past three years covering assets, liabilities, receipts, payments, income and expenditure.
• Applicants must also provide year-wise activity reports for the last three years and a chartered accountant’s certificate if their statements lack activity-wise expenditure breakdowns.
• NGOs engaged in publication and receiving foreign contributions are now barred from issuing newsletters or news content unless they hold a “Not a Newspaper” certificate from the Registrar of Newspapers for India.
• NGOs pursuing foreign funding must pledge compliance with Financial Action Task Force anti–money laundering standards and cap their administrative costs at 20 percent of contributions.
• Previously registered NGOs must submit an affidavit on receipt and utilisation of foreign funds after registration expiry or cancellation and declare capital investments if spending on objectives was under Rs 15 lakh in any of the past three financial years.