Kerala: Council for probe on Church funds

KOCHI:  The state and central governments should initiate steps for bringing transparency in utilization of funds received by Church institutions in the state from abroad. The Joint Christian Council (JCC) working for reforms in the functioning in the church establishment in the state has said that the matter assumes significance in the background of Ministry of Home Affairs detecting serious discrepancies in the accounts submitted by major dioceses of the state on the amount received from abroad.

According to V.K. Joy, general secretary of the JCC, the FCRA wing of the ministry has found serious discrepancies in the details submitted by Ernakulam-Angamally, Kanjirappally, Kochi, Thrissur dioceses and Varapuzha Archdiocese. The amount mentioned as carry forward from the previous year is not having any correlation with opening and closing balance of the year as per information gathered under the RTI Act. The discrepancies running into rupees worth several crores are from the year 2009 onwards, Mr. Joy said.

The foreign funds received by catholic diocese are meant for poor and destitute people, but the records submitted by the diocese with FCRA department are proving otherwise, said JCC in a statement. “The return filed by dioceses states that large sum are utilised for construction and repair and maintenance of place of worship and religious festivals. This is not correct”, JCC said. Demanding the government to see foreign funds are utilised to benefit poor it also said the state government should develop system to monitor the activities of church organisations and societies working under the church.