Over 100 NGOs, including Centre for Policy Research (CPR), Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, and Oxfam India, have lost their foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licenses due to alleged misuse of foreign grants over the past two years.
GOI has recently placed US advocacy organisation, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CFTK), under prior reference category (PRC) – indicating that international donations in India will have to be vetted and approved by the authorities before being utilised. The Union home ministry indicated the influence of domestic NGOs against the tobacco industry, as one of the main reasons to restrict funding for CFTK.
Michael Bloomberg, an American philanthropist, is funding CFTK, which offers legal, communication, and research support to governments and non-governmental organizations worldwide for tobacco control promotion and implementation. The Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), a NGO linked to CFTK, was found to be in violation of the Food and Drugs Act (FCRA) and their license was revoked in March this year. The VHAI held a National Conference on Tobacco or Health in February, discussing various topics such as the economics of tobacco production and control in India, governance in tobacco control, environment, and digital interventions in tobacco control.
