NGOs in India received almost Rs 10,000 crore as contributions from foreign donors in 2007-08. And if Christian organisations continued to dominate both the lists of top donors and receivers, Delhi-based organisations emerged as the biggest beneficiaries. The United States, the UK and Germany bagged the top three ranks respectively in terms of being the biggest donor countries.
According to Home Ministry’s figures, out of 34,803 NGOs, registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, as many as 18,796 organisations received Rs 9,663.46 crore during the period 2007-08.
“Among the States and Union Territories, the highest receipt of foreign contributions was reported by Delhi (Rs 1,716.57 crore), followed by Tamil Nadu (Rs 1,670.93 crore) and Andhra Pradesh (Rs 1,167.21 crore). Among the districts, the highest receipt of foreign contributions was reported by Chennai (Rs 731.22 crore), followed by Bangalore (Rs 669.76 crore) and Mumbai (Rs 469.90 crore),” says the report.
The top three receivers of foreign funds are Christian missionaries-supported organisations. “Among the associations which reported receipt of foreign contribution, the highest amount of foreign contribution was received by World Vision of India, Chennai, Tamil Nadu (Rs 211.62 crore), followed by Rural Development Trust, Ananthapur in Andhra Pradesh ( Rs 124.79 crore) and Believers Church India, Pathanamthitta, Kerala ( Rs 101.68 crore),” the report said.
USA tops the list of donor countries with Rs 2,928.30 crore, followed by the UK with Rs 1,268.59 crore. Germany is placed third. It provided donations worth Rs 971.02 crore to Indian NGOs. Italy (Rs 514.89 crore) and the Netherlands (Rs 414.12 crore) follow the top three respectively.
Interestingly, among the top 15 donors, only one Islamic country – UAE (Rs 78.84 cr) – figures in the list. It ranks 14th. Individually, a Hindu organization, Brahmanand Saraswati Trust, UK, donated Rs 208.57 crore and is placed fourth among the list of individual foreign donors.
It is interesting to note the top three individual donor organisations are evangelical institutions. Noted Christian organisation World Vision International of USA with Rs 578.49 crore is the biggest single donor. Another organisation from USA, the Gospel For Asia Inc pumped in Rs 365.37 crore into India in 2007-08. The third biggest donor is also an evangelical organisation from Spain. The Barcelona-headquartered Fundacion Vicente Ferrer donated Rs 248.28 crore to its Indian associates.
The funds flow, however, witnessed a dip in 2007-08. It was Rs 11,000 crore in 2006-07.
(Courtesy: The Pioneer, New Delh December 19, 2010)
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