Christian NGOs hog foreign contributions: Report
Srinand Jha
The Observer
June 17, 1999
Title: Christian NGOs hog foreign contributions: Report
Author: Srinand Jha
Publication: The Observer
Date: June 17, 1999
It might not be entirely accurate to categorise organisations as being
'Hindu' or 'Christian,' but it would also not be too far away from the
truth to assert that voluntary organisations in India, having
inclination towards promoting Christianity, have willy nilly been
amongst the biggest beneficiaries of contributions from foreign
countries over the years.
At the same time, the so-called 'Hindu' organisations have also been
hugely benefiting by way of foreign donations, as is revealed in the
latest annual report on the receipt of foreign contributions by
voluntary organisations.
For instance, the report brings out the fact that for the fifth year
running, the Maharishi Ved Vigyan Vishwa Vidyapeetham of Andhra
Pradesh, has once again topped the list as the recipient of the
highest amount of foreign funds, totalling Rs 5,64,693,000 during
1997-98.
At the same time, no less than 12 such Christian organisations have
found a place in the list of top 25 recipient organisations during the
same period while donations, in majority of cases, have expectedly
come from Christian missionary organisations having headquarters in
Europe or elsewhere.
The missionary organisations included in the top 25 recipients list
for 1997-98, incidentally, includes five Delhi-based organisations,
three from Karnataka and one each from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal,
Maharashtra and Kerala. Delhi based organisations are: The Foster
Parents Plan International (Rs 44,34,21000), the SOS Children's
Villages of India (Rs 20,29,90000), the Churches Auxiliary for Social
Action (Rs 20,09,79000), the Holistic Child Development of India (Rs
12,71,47000) and the Indian Society of Churches of Jesus Christ (Rs
12,61,46000).
Besides, the list includes the names of three Karnataka-based
organisations: The CSI Council for Child Care (Rs 24,69,16000), the
Christian Children Fund (Rs 24,22,34000) and the India Campus Crusade
for Christ (Rs 12,34,14000).
The other such organisations included in the list are: the Tamil
Nadu-based World Vision of India (Rs 35,15,39000), the Missionaries of
Charity of West Bengal (Rs 17,28,45000), the Watch Tower Bible Tract
Society of India of Maharashtra (Rs 14,60,90000) and the Kerala-based
Gospel for Asia (Rs 14,44,26000).
The report, meanwhile, brings out the names of the following
missionary organisations among the 25 major foreign donors during the
year. The Christian Children Fund of USA (Rs 64,78,30000), the
Evangelische Zentraistelle (EZE) of Germany (Rs 59,02,56000), the
World Visions International of USA (Rs 37,54,90000), the Inter Church
Co-ord Committee of Netherlands (Rs 23,01,75000), the Opera Don Bosco
of Italy (Rs 19,90,77000), the Christian Aid of UK (Rs 19,47,42000),
the Bread for the World of Germany (Rs 16,03,93000) and the Mission
Prokure of Germany (Rs 15,32,71000).
Incidentally, as officials of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act
(FCRA) point out, it would be incorrect to term any organisation as
being specifically a religious or a missionary organisation as a
majority of organisations have been known to indicate more than one
form of activity while registering their names. Besides, even if the
case were to be that the Christian organisations were the ones
benefiting the most by way of foreign contributions, the argument can
evidently be seen to be working both ways. It can be stated, for
example, that the Christian organisations were receiving a lion's
share of the foreign contributions because these are the organisations
that are mostly engaged in social work and welfare activities. It
can, at the same time, also be alleged that foreign funds were being
utilised by Christian organisations to take forward the aim of the
evangelising India.
During 1997-98, incidentally, foreign contributions totalling Rs
2864.51 crore was received by the 12,198 registered organisations.
The Union territory of Delhi reported the highest receipt of foreign
contribution (Rs 418.52 crore) followed by Tamil Nadu (Rs 416.64
crore), Andhra Pradesh (Rs 398.08 crore), Maharashtra (Rs 323.52
crore), Karnataka (Rs 315.88 crore) and Kerala (RS 255.38 crore).
The four states of South India were reported to have the highest
number of associations (5732) and these associations were also
reported to have received the highest amount of foreign contribution
(Rs 1396.65 crore) followed by the Northern zone (Rs 607.01 crore
reported by 1539 associations), Western zone (Rs 431.78 crore reported
by 1786 associations), Eastern Zone (Rs 228.53 crore reported by 1630
associations) and Central Zone (Rs 200.54 crore reported by 1511
associations).
The list of donor countries, meanwhile, is headed by the USA (Rs
731.07 crore) followed by Germany (Rs 577.08 crore), UK (Rs 376.47
crore), Italy (Rs 198.47 crore) and Netherlands (Rs 169.66 crore).
The highest amount of foreign contribution, meanwhile, has been
received for activities connected with Health and Family Welfare (Rs
306.43 crore) followed by construction/extension of schools/colleges
(Rs 290.01 crore) and Rural Development (Rs 279.91 crore).
During the year, incidentally, a total of 35 associations received
foreign contribution in the excess of Rs 10 crore while 69
associations received between Rs 5 crore and Rs 10 crore and 536
associations received between Rs 1 crore and Rs 5 crore.
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