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Centre Suspends FCRA Licence Of Centre For Policy Research: Sources

The FCRA licence of Delhi-based CPR was suspended last week following prima facie details regarding the violation of such funding norms.

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| Written By
Kamal Joshi

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In a massive crackdown by the central government, the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the public policy think tank, Centre For Policy Research (CPR) has been suspended, sources claimed on Wednesday.

The FCRA licence of Delhi-based CPR was suspended last week following prima facie details regarding the violation of such funding norms.


In September last year, the Income Tax department surveyed CPR, NGO Oxfam India and, Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation as part of its investigation related to foreign funding.

With the suspension of its Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, CPR will not be able to accept any funds from abroad.

CPR had received foreign grants from organisations and institutions like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,  Namati Inc., University of Pennsylvania, Hans Seidel Foundation, Duke University, and the State Bank of India (Saving Bank Interest), among others. It should be noted that the Open Society Foundation (OSF) which is backed by George Soros is a big investor in Namati Inc.

The Centre has asked the think-tank to give clarification and documents on FCRA funds received by it. The non-profit institution had last renewed its FCRA license in 2016 and was due for renewal in 2021.

The Centre for Policy Research defines itself as "a non-profit, non-partisan, independent institution dedicated to conducting research that contributes to high-quality scholarship, better policies, and a more robust public discourse about the issues that impact life in India."

"The institution nurtures and supports scholarly excellence. However, the institution does not take a collective position on issues. CPR’s scholars have complete autonomy to express their individual views," the website of the public policy think tank added.

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