Dollar shrines

Where does foreign funding for non-governmental organisations go? Certainly not to rural development. Religious NGOs are the current favour...

Where does foreign funding for non-governmental organisations go? Certainly not to rural development. Religious NGOs are the current favourites. And the top contenders are the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha BAPS in Gujarat and the Kerala-based Gospel for Asia. Both the NGOs witnessed a major jump in foreign funding in the year 2001-02, becoming the top two recipients in the country.

Gujarat based BAPS received large amount of funds from the foreign community following the attack on Akshardham temple last September. It received a total of Rs 107.5 crore as foreign contribution in 2001-02, as against Rs 64 crore in 2000-01 and Rs 28 crore in 1999-2000. Gospel for Asia has simultaneously shown a similar jump in international funding 8212; Rs 99 crore in 2001-02, Rs 58 crore the year before and Rs 32 crore in 1999-2000.

While BAPS claims to be a 8216;8216;socio-spiritual organisation with its roots in the Vedas,8217;8217; Gospel for Asia says its mission is 8216;8216;planting churches among the most unreached8217;8217;. On its website, Gospel for Asia claimed success for at least 2,400 of India8217;s 8216;outcaste8217; Dalits receiving Christ in just one Indian state.

8216;8216;This happened in just the past two months April and May, 2003! We are thrilled that thousands of Dalits continue to boldly come to Christ, despite anti-conversion legislation. Do keep praying with us for India8217;s precious Dalits,8217;8217; they say.

Even as BAPS and Gospel for Asia became the top two recipients of foreign funds, another religious organisation Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust in Andhra Pradesh lost out on its long held position among the first five. Till 1999-2000, the Trust held number three slot, receiving over Rs 50 crore foreign contribution. However, it failed to make it to the top five in subsequent years.

The other organisations, figuring in the top five recipients of foreign funds, are World Vision of India, Tamil Nadu, Foster Parents Plan International, Delhi and Rural Development Trust, Andhra Pradesh.

World Vision International is a Christian relief and development organisation claiming to be working for the well-being of all, especially children. Foster Parents Plan International says it helps children realise their potential, 8216;8216;listens to their needs and respects their rights and dignity8217;8217;.

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With foreign funds flowing into the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs MHA is finding it difficult to keep track of how they are being utilised. In 2001-02, various Indian associations received a total of Rs 4,872 crore as foreign contribution. In fact, the government suspects a large amount of donations are being used for wrong purposes8212; diverted for anti-national and terrorist activities. However, the MHA was finding it difficult to pin down the organisations, given the nature of the existing Foreign Regulations Contributions Act FCRA.

The government now plans to introduce a Bill to make major changes in the Act, giving it more teeth. Minister of State for Home Harin Pathak admitted that the government was considering certain changes in FCRA, the law governing the receipt and utlilisation of foreign funds by voluntary organisations. The aim was to remove shortcomings in the present law.

Giving details of the changes to be made in the Bill, sources said that present, the MHA was not empowered even to cancel the registration of an association. 8216;8216;There is no such provision in the Act. At the most we can put it in 8216;prior permission8217; category or freeze its accounts,8217;8217; disclosed sources. Being in the 8216;prior permission8217; category makes it mandatory for an association to inform the ministry before accepting any donations.

The new Bill, awaiting Cabinet8217;s approval, would allow cancellation of an organisation8217;s registration if it was suspected to be indulging in any anti-national activity or gross misutilisation of funds. 8216;8216;The aim of the new Bill is to make it more transparent and decentralised,8217;8217; an official in the ministry said.