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The Union home ministry has granted a license under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to actor Shah Rukh Khan’s Non-government Organisation (NGO) Meer Foundation, enabling it to receive funding from international donors.
Established in 2013, Meer Foundation primarily focuses on empowering women who have survived acid attacks. It operates as a not-for-profit organization under the Companies Act and is recognized as a charitable institution under the Income Tax Act.
According to individuals familiar with the matter, the FCRA license was approved several months ago, with no specific date provided. Notably, approximately 175 organizations have been granted FCRA licenses this year, including the NGO of Olympic medalist and Rajya Sabha member MC Mary Kom, the Mary Kom Regional Boxing Foundation.
It is worth mentioning that the government has taken action to revoke the licenses of several NGOs, including the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT), and Centre for Policy Research (CPR), due to alleged legal violations.
Between 2019 and 2022, the Union home ministry’s FCRA unit conducted inspections or audits of at least 335 NGOs and associations to ensure compliance with funding regulations.
In 2020, the FCRA Act underwent amendments, prohibiting public servants from receiving foreign funding. Additionally, Aadhaar became a mandatory requirement for all office-bearers of NGOs, and the amended law restricted organizations from allocating more than 20% of foreign funds for administrative purposes, a reduction from the previous 50% limit.
Source: Shah Rukh Khan’s NGO Meer Foundation granted license for foreign funding