Debarchan Chatterjee/NurPhoto via Getty Images
India is struggling to bring its rampant COVID-19 outbreak under control.
Around the world people and companies have donated oxygen and PPE, and millions of dollars.
But a law is stopping charities from distributing aid to smaller groups, making it hard to reach those in need.
Donations to help India fight its raging COVID-19 outbreak are flooding in from around the world, but a new law is preventing many nonprofits from using the money effectively.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi s government passed an amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act last September. The amendment effectively prevents local NGOs from redistributing donations to smaller aid groups.
IT services industry body Nasscom has sought for a temporary relaxation in the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) for foreign aid to come smoothly into the country to fight the surge in Covid numbers. The industry body also requested that the government should allow all WHO-approved vaccines into the country.
Nasscom said in a letter: “Many countries and global companies are providing aid to India and are helping the healthcare infrastructure deal with the surge. However, the amended provisions of the FCRA Act, 2020 are proving to be a deterrent. Given the humanitarian crisis, we would request the government to grant a temporary waiver to the FCRA Act and the 2020 amendments. This will enable NGOs to transfer funds between two FCRA approved NGOs and non-FCRA approved NGOs.”
Can NGOs receive foreign contributions pending MHA approval as their services required:HC to Centre
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Last Updated: May 13, 2021, 09:02 PM IST
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Synopsis
The query by Justice Prathiba M Singh came during hearing of the pleas by two NGOs which had not yet received approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) despite applying for and opening an FCRA account in the State Bank of India (SBI) in accordance with the amended provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
The court said that if the application for MHA approval has any defects, the same shall be pointed out to the petitioner NGOs by May 17 so that approvals can be granted at the earliest.
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A recently-imposed law in India is preventing local charities from accessing foreign donations, as the country keeps struggling with COVID-19
A recently-imposed law in India is preventing local charities from accessing foreign donations, as the country keeps struggling with COVID-19
Bill BostockMay 13, 2021, 16:05 IST
A critical patient who tested positive for COVID-19 is been taken to an ICU unit at a COVID-19 care hospital in Kolkata, India, on April 22, 2021.Debarchan Chatterjee/NurPhoto via Getty Images
India is struggling to bring its rampant COVID-19 outbreak under control.
Around the world people and companies have donated oxygen and PPE, and millions of dollars.
Put FCRA on hold to ease relief flow, Nasscom plea to PM
Updated:
Updated:
IT body urges emergency nod for all WHO-approved vaccines
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Nasscom has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant emergency use authorisation for all WHO-approved vaccines in view of domestic vaccine shortages .
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
IT body urges emergency nod for all WHO-approved vaccines
India’s IT industry body Nasscom has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant emergency use authorisation for all WHO-approved vaccines in view of domestic vaccine shortages, and temporarily relax stringent Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) norms to ease the flow of overseas COVID-19 relief into the country.