Saturday 5 December 2009

AP ranks third in foreign funding : Anti terror cops track sources

By U Sudhakar Reddy
The sleuths of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the counter intelligence, who are working on antiterror operations, are busy checking the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that get funds from abroad.
The "doubtful" religious trusts and societies involved in activities related to the training of youth on religious aspects are now under the scanner.
According to the ministry of home affairs, Andhra Pradesh ranked third in the country in the list of top foreign funds recipients. Only Delhi and Tamil Nadu are ahead of it. The state-based NGOs have been receiving around Rs 1,210 crore per year.
Hyderabad, Anantapur and Krishna districts are among the top 15 district recipients in the country.Hyderabad stood sixth with Rs 244 crore of foreign funds followed by Anantapur (Rs 231 crore) and Krishna (Rs 159 crore) in this financial year.
A senior police official said, "A large amount of funds are coming from the United States and the European countries. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) too is one of the top funding countries. We have been asked to keep a tab on these NGOs.This is because some of them might be misusing the funds to fuel terrorism."
Andhra Pradesh has the second largest number of non-governmental organisations and nearly 2,361 of them have the "foreign contribution acceptance permission."
Foreign contribution is regulated under the provisions of the Foreign Contribution and Rules.
The ministry of home affairs had earlier banned two religious educational societies, which had been receiving foreign funds, after gross irregularities were unearthed in their operations.
As per the home ministry, the highest amount of foreign contribution is utilised towards establishment expenses followed by relief and rehabilitation of victims of natural calamities, rural development, construction and maintenance of schools, colleges and welfare of children.
"These areas are not our concern. But almost Rs 726 crore is annually sent to the country for religious education. The diversion of these funds for terror activities is our prime focus area. If any irregularities are found with the NGOs, their accounts will be frozen and the FCRA permission given to them will be cancelled. We have to make sure that the genuine organisations are not harassed in the process," said a senior official.
Although all non-governmental organisation recipients are to be categorised as social, cultural, economic, educational or religious, there are only a few who list themselves under the religious category.