Faith-based groups get only 6 pc of foreign funds in India: FCRA JPC chief

• JPC chairperson Sanjay Jaiswal says churches and faith-based organisations receive only 6 per cent of foreign contributions.

• Opposition parties and Christian organisations flag concerns over proposed government powers over foreign-funded assets.

• The JPC holds consultations in Shillong and plans further meetings in Chennai and Kochi.

Churches and other faith-based organisations account for only around six per cent of the Rs 22,000 crore in foreign contributions received in India, BJP MP and Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chairperson Sanjay Jaiswal said on Monday, 2 November, as the panel continued its consultations on the contentious Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026.

Speaking to reporters after a stakeholder consultation in Shillong, Jaiswal said the committee was examining concerns over the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, and seeking practical solutions to the issues raised by organisations receiving foreign funds.

"Out of the Rs 22,000 crore coming into the country as foreign contributions, only around six per cent goes to churches and other faith-based organisations. The remaining amount goes to NGOs and other organisations," he said.

The consultation comes amid mounting opposition to the proposed amendments, which have triggered concerns among Christian organisations, civil society groups and Opposition parties over the potential impact on foreign-funded charitable, educational and religious institutions.

The controversy centres on provisions that seek to expand the government's powers over foreign contributions and assets created using such funds when an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or not renewed.

Under the proposed framework, a government-appointed designated authority could take over the management of foreign contributions and assets linked to an organisation that ceases to hold a valid FCRA certificate. The authority could provisionally assume control of such assets and, in specified circumstances, transfer or dispose of them.

Church bodies and civil society organisations have warned that the provisions could affect institutions such as schools, hospitals, charitable establishments and places of worship that have been built over decades using foreign donations. Concerns have also been raised over the proposed framework's potential retrospective implications and the extent of executive powers over such assets.

The government, however, has maintained that the legislation is not religion-specific and is intended to strengthen the regulation of foreign contributions, improve accountability and address gaps in the existing legal framework.

Opposition parties have alleged that the proposed changes could disproportionately affect Christian NGOs and minority-run social welfare and educational institutions, and have demanded the withdrawal of the Bill.

"We want to have practical solutions to the practical problems being presented before us. Our interest is national interest, and we are listening to all concerned stakeholders before arriving at any conclusion," Jaiswal said.

At least 20 organisations attended the Shillong consultation, including groups associated with various churches, Hindu organisations and indigenous communities in Meghalaya, a Christian-majority state.

Jaiswal said the committee was gathering representations from different sections of society to assess the implications of the proposed amendments and understand the practical difficulties faced by organisations receiving foreign contributions. He also said the panel was examining the role and powers of state-level authorities under the existing FCRA framework.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma had specifically requested the committee to hold a consultation in Shillong to hear the concerns of stakeholders in the state, Jaiswal said.

The JPC will next hold consultations in Chennai and Kochi as part of its nationwide exercise to gather feedback on the proposed legislation.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 25 March. It was referred to a JPC on 12 August following protests by Opposition parties and concerns raised by civil society and religious organisations.

The referral came after the Opposition alleged that the proposed legislation could target minorities and NGOs, with critics warning that the expanded powers over foreign-funded assets could threaten the autonomy and functioning of charitable institutions.

With PTI inputs