NGOs now under Lokpal Act's ambit; will have to declare all assets

The Home Ministry has decided that all non-profit organisations which receive more than Rs. 1 crore as government funds and more than Rs. 10 lakh as donations from outside India, will have to declare their assets.

The government has decided to bring NGOs under the ambit of the Lokpal Act, which was passed almost three years ago.

The NGOs will now be considered public servants, who, under the provisions of the Lokpal Act, are expected to disclose assets and liabilities every year and put out the information in public domain, reports NDTV.

So far, the government kept track of only foreign funds and expenditure. It will be the first time that assets of the non-profits will be looked into as well.

These steps from the ministry come after the government's tussle with lawyer-activist Teesta Setalvad and the non-profit Ford Foundation over their funding.

Last year, amid a crackdown on foreign charities, the Home Ministry put the $12.5 billion Ford Foundation on the watch list. In 2015, the registrations of more than 10,000 NGOs were cancelled. Currently, 18 foreign funding agencies and donors are on the watch list, reports NDTV.

Last year, the Centre had suspended activist Teesta Setalvad's NGO -- Sabrang Trust's license, which works with Gujarat riot victims, and said that it cannot accept foreign funding anymore asking it to explain its foreign funding.

Setalvad was accused of receiving around Rs. 1.8 crore from the US-based Ford Foundation allegedly in violation of government rules. She had denied any wrongdoing.