The Ministry of Home Affairs has granted licenses under the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) to 3 more organisations for five years: Sood Charity Foundation, Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) and Banke Bihari Temple.
The Three FCRA Approved Organisations
The Sood Charity Foundation is a non-profit organisation run by actor Sonu Sood which works on education, environment, healthcare and empowering the underprivileged. After the actor’s service of providing free transportation for migrant workers stuck without a means to reach home during COVID-19., Sood began to be known widely for his humanitarian efforts. But after the end of COVID-19, the NGO came under the income tax department scanner in September 2021. Sonu Sood was accused of tax evasion worth ₹20 crore and violation of FCRA norms.
Founded in August 1959 by the 14th Dalai Lama after reaching India’s Kalimpong area, the main focus of TIPA was to keep the Tibetan culture alive. After receiving the FCRA license recently, TIPA can receive funds for its cultural activities. The organisation has its headquarters in McLeodganj from where the institute promotes and preserves the age-old folk music, opera and dance traditions of Tibet.
The third organisation, Banke Bihari Mandir, is a religious place situated in Vrindavan which was granted the FCRA license last week. This will enable the temple to receive donations from foreign countries for religious activities. The temple’s priest, however, says that he had never applied for the registration. Now the temple committee is locked in a legal battle with the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh for the control of the temple’s internal affairs and funds.
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