Centre cancels FCRA registration of Infosys Foundation

Mumbai: The government on Monday cancelled the FCRA registration of the Bengaluru-based NGO, Infosys Foundation, for alleged violation of norms in receiving foreign grants, officials said on Monday.

The Home Ministry had last year served show-cause notice to Infosys Foundation for failing to submit annual income and expenditure statement on foreign funding for up to six years despite repeated reminders, officials said.

The registration was cancelled as Infosys Foundation did not file income and expenditure statement on foreign funding for the past few years, they said. Sudha Murthy is the chairperson of Infosys Foundation.

It is mandatory for non-government organisations (NGOs) to register under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, or FCRA, for receiving foreign funding.

Infosys Foundation, however, said its de-registration from the FCRA followed a request it proactively made to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

"This (request) was done as the Infosys Foundation does not come under the purview of the FCRA following the amendment made to the Act in 2016. We had approached the ministry to consider this, and thank them for granting our request," said Rishi Basu from the foundation's corporate marketing and communications division.

It said the Foundation has submitted its annual returns for FY16, FY17 and FY18, though it did not fall under the purview of Act following its amendment.

Additionally, the foundation has also submitted necessary paperwork to the government in July 2018.