In relief to NGOs, govt gives one-time exemption to apply for registration

The government on Thursday gave a one-time exemption to NGOs, whose FCRA registrations were cancelled for not filing annual returns, to apply for registration within three months, a move which may benefit hundreds of organisations.

It has been further decided that for uploading missing annual returns on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) portal, no penalty will be imposed, according to a Home Ministry order.

The exemption is a one-time measure and available only to those associations whose certificates have been cancelled only because of non-filing of annual returns, the order said.