Notice to 89 organisations in Kerala for not submitting annual returns

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At least 89 organisations in Kerala are among the 3,292 against which the Union home affairs ministry issued notice for not filing annual returns on foreign contributions.

Some prominent organisations and government institutions like the Kerala State Wakf Board and National Association for the Blind are also among the 89. 
The maximum number of organisations served the notice is in Ernakulam, 19, followed by Thiruvananthapuram, 12.

About 1,600 in the state are registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act  or FCRA and are entitled to receive foreign aids. The FCRA wing of MHA issued the notice following scrutiny of records from 2011-12 to 2016-17. 

Their accounts and annual returns regarding foreign funds received for some financial years were not filed. The notice issued on April 24 warned of stringent actions, including cancellation of registration, if not filed within 15 days of its receipt.

Meanwhile, officials of Wakf Board and National Association of Blind said that they were regularly updating the returns and the notice could be due to some minor technical issues.

Sources said that once the registration is cancelled, the organisation concerned may not be able to get registration for the next three years as per the Foreign Currency Regulation Act. The notices are part of Centre's moves to curb fictitious organisations.

Among the 89 organisations served notice, 11 are in Kottayam, 10 in Thrissur, seven in Palakkad, six each in Kozhikode and Malapp-uram, five in Alappuzha, four in Pathanamthitta, three in Idukki, two each in Wayanad and Kannur and one each in Kollam and Kasargod.