FCRA and Greenpeace Controversy

NGO is Non-Governmental organization; it is set up by individual or groups. NGO

may be funded by government, corporates, individuals etc.
Role of NGO in development: Campaigns of NGO helps in creation of awareness
among masses; it offers work at grass root level and can take up variety of issues
that are clogs in the wheel of development.
Merits in functioning of NGO:

Responsibility Sharing: They may share responsibility in addition to the

governments development effort
Development: They can help in development by organizing the campaigns
Awareness: They can help by selectively creating awareness among the masses
Stage is set: They can work effectively at grass root level, and understand the
problem well and carry on the development efficiently
Take up Agenda: NGO can take up the development agenda in developing
nations and can serve the nation and its people
Wide diversity: NGO can take up variety of issues like climate change, child
labor, human rights, alleviate poverty etc.
Direct Interaction: They can directly interact with local communities and
understand the issue well and help in addressing the micro nature of problem.

Demerits in functioning of NGO:

Transparency is an issue: Many a times, it is observed that NGO lacks

transparency
Non-disclosure of real motives: They may not disclose the information and
carry on with the secret work or jobs
Lacks Accounting Skill: Some of them do not maintain accounts properly and
evade taxes
Tax Evasion: Some of the NGOs are not registered and still making profits and
eventually they also do not pay taxes

About FCRA:

Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (1976 and 2010), this aims at regulating
the donations made from foreign sources.
Foreign Contribution means the form of donation, transfer or delivery made by
a foreign source in term of currency or any other security.
NGO and NPO come in the purview of FCRA, and it becomes necessary for an
NGO or NPO to register or obtain the prior permission of government before
receiving foreign grants or donations.

About Greenpeace:

Greenpeace is non-governmental environmental organization. Its main aim is to

ensure that Earth is able to nurture life in all form of diversity. It campaigns to
create awareness on issues like commercial whaling, climate change,
overfishing, deforestation, genetic engineering etc.
It does not accept funding from government, corporates or political
parties. Instead, it accepts foundation grants and support from individuals.

Greenpeace defines its mission as the following:

Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organization that acts to change
attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the environment and to
promote peace by:

Catalysing an energy revolution to address the number one threat facing our
planet: climate change.
Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and
creating a global network of marine reserves.
Protecting the worlds remaining ancient forestswhich are depended on by
many animals, plants and people.
Working for disarmament and peace by reducing dependence on finite
resources and calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons.
Creating a toxin free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in
todays products and manufacturing.

Campaigning for sustainable agricultureby

ecologically responsible farming practices.

encouraging

socially

and

Why Greenpeace India in trouble?

2014: Indian Intelligence Bureau in interim report to PMO accused Greenpeace

India of hurting the economic progress by campaigning against power projects,
GM crops and mining.
2015: Bank accounts were blocked by Ministry of Home Affair due to nondisclosure of income in banks to tax authorities.
Government cancels Greenpeace license for FCRA, this implies that
Greenpeace will not be able to receive foreign donation.