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The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 (FCRA Bill) amends the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, which governs how NGOs, trusts, societies, educational institutions, and religious organisations receive and utilise foreign donations in India.

The FCRA Bill proposes to set up a ‘designated authority’ which will take control of the foreign contributions in case an entity’s FCRA registration stands cancelled, surrendered or lapsed.

The assets created out of such foreign funds will initially come under the control of the ‘designated authority’ and may subsequently be transferred entirely if the entity fails to reacquire its registration within a specified period. The authority will also hold the power to manage assets and monitor the activities of such entities if required. Let us look at the real provisions of the Bill:

“16A (1) The foreign contribution and the assets created out of foreign contribution of any person –  (a) whose certificate has been cancelled under section 14; or  (b) who has surrendered the certificate under section 14A; or  (c) whose certificate has ceased under section 14B or any rules made under this Act, shall, from the date of such cancellation, surrender or cessation, vest provisionally in the Designated authority in such manner as may be prescribed. 16A (6) The Designated authority shall apply the foreign contribution and the assets permanently vested in it for public purposes and may, by order––  (a) transfer such assets to any Ministry, Department, authority or agency of the Central Government or of a State Government or any local authority, in such manner as may be prescribed; or  (b) dispose of such assets through sale or any other appropriate process, in such manner as may be prescribed and credit the sale proceeds together with any unutilised foreign contribution to the Consolidated Fund of India.”

“16A (1) The foreign contribution and the assets created out of foreign contribution of any person – 

(a) whose certificate has been cancelled under section 14; or 

(b) who has surrendered the certificate under section 14A; or 

(c) whose certificate has ceased under section 14B or any rules made under this Act, shall, from the date of such cancellation, surrender or cessation, vest provisionally in the Designated authority in such manner as may be prescribed.

16A (6) The Designated authority shall apply the foreign contribution and the assets permanently vested in it for public purposes and may, by order–– 

(a) transfer such assets to any Ministry, Department, authority or agency of the Central Government or of a State Government or any local authority, in such manner as may be prescribed; or 

(b) dispose of such assets through sale or any other appropriate process, in such manner as may be prescribed and credit the sale proceeds together with any unutilised foreign contribution to the Consolidated Fund of India.”

It is the Section 16A(6)(b) that reveals the devious and ominous agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. The objective is to seize........

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