Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Killing the licence: On NGOs and funding

Killing the licence: On NGOs and funding

The Government must give a more transparent (पारदर्शी, स्पष्ट, सीधा) account of its actions against NGOs

If the past few years of enhanced (बढ़ा हुआ) measures (उपाय, क्रिया, प्रक्रिया) against non-governmental organisations (NGOs) (गैर सरकारी संगठन) operating in India had not put enough of a squeeze on them, then the Ministry of Home Affairs’s long-drawn-out (prolonged, protracted, lengthy, lasting, long-lasting, extended) process of scrutinising their foreign-funding licences by year-end is sure to do so. Close on the heels (close behind, soon after, immediately after, following closely) of the news that the Missionaries (a person who travels to a foreign country in an attempt to spread a religion, especially Christianity) of Charity group had been denied (reject, abandon, discard) a renewal of its licence under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (amended in 2020), comes the revelation (रहस्योद्घाटन, प्रकटीकरण, घोषणा, रिपोर्ट) that more than four-fifths of the applications of the 22,000-plus NGOs that have sought renewal have yet to be scrutinised (जांच करना, बारीकी से देखना). Unless the Government extends the deadline by midnight, all of them stand (be in a situation where one is likely to do something) to lose their ability to access international funding in the new year. As experts have explained, the NGOs have to prove not only that the source of funding and their usage of the funds is appropriate but also establish (स्थापित करना, साबित करना) that their work does not qualify as harmful to “public interest (लोक हित, जन हित)” or “national security” — ambiguous (अस्पष्ट, बहस करने योग्य) terms that are left to MHA officials to define. So, as many as (ज्यादा से ज्यादा, काफी, पर्याप्त) 2,000 NGOs under scrutiny (जांच, निरीक्षण, जांच) may be denied a renewal of their FCRA licence as the Missionaries of Charity (The Missionaries of Charity is a Catholic religious congregation established in 1950 by Mother Teresa. The Missionaries of Charity is an organisation with a long and distinguished record of humanitarian service that began in 1950 on the streets of Calcutta) and its roughly 200 homes around the country have been in this round.

Contrary to (के विपरीत, विरोध करना) the Government’s defence (बचाव, सुरक्षा) that it is only following accounting and audit (लेखा-परीक्षा, अंकेक्षण) procedures, it seems clear that organisations that have particularly faced the Modi government’s ire (anger, rage, fury, wrath) are those that work in specific “sensitive areas”: pollution and climate change (जलवायु परिवर्तन) issues, human rights, child labour and human slavery (the condition of being a slave; enslavement, bondage), health and religious NGOs, particularly Christian and Islamic charities. Prominent (important, well known) names among nearly 20,000 NGOs to have lost their foreign-funding licences since 2014 include Amnesty International (founded in 1961, it is a non-governmental organization with its headquarters in the United Kingdom focused on human rights), Greenpeace India (Greenpeace India is an independent organisation registered in India, connected to a network of other Greenpeace offices in over 55 countries. Greenpeace India has been working on various issues related to the environment since 2001), People’s Watch (People’s Watch began its journey in 1995 as a programme unit of the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns (CPSC) based in Madurai city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu), European Climate Foundation, Compassion International (CI has worked in India since 1968, and today, its programmes support over 145,000 Indian children, providing critical tutoring, health and nutrition, and medical services) and the Gates Foundation-backed Public Health Foundation of India (The country’s largest public health advocacy group. The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) is a public private initiative that has collaboratively evolved through consultations with multiple constituencies including Indian and international academia, state and central governments, multi & bi-lateral agencies and civil society groups. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) is a major donor of funds to the PHFI). If the Government has ample (enough, sufficient, adequate, plenty of) evidence to prove that Indians are better off (in a more advantageous position) without the work of these internationally renowned organisations, then it has yet to show it. It is time the Government gives a more transparent account (description, report, explanation, narration, narrative, statement) of its actions against NGOs, which at present appear to mirror (reflect, reproduce, imitate, parallel; reiterate) those in China and Russia which have used their NGO laws to shut down (cease activity, close down, cease operation) dissent (disagreement, lack of agreement, difference of opinion, protest, opposition, disapproval) and criticism. The actions in India over “foreign hand (foreign assistance, aid, support, succour, relief, help)” concerns seem more hypocritical (deceptive, dishonest, two-faced, untruthful, self-righteous, pretended, hollow, false, fake) given (considering, taking into consideration, taking into account, in view of, bearing in mind, giving consideration to, keeping in mind, in the light of) the relative (moderate, reasonable, a fair degree of, considerable, some) ease (effortlessness, no difficulty, no trouble) with which political parties are able to access foreign funds for their campaigns (canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group) through electoral bonds (an electoral bond is designed to be a bearer instrument like a Promissory Note — in effect, it will be similar to a bank note that is payable to the bearer on demand and free of interest. It can be purchased by any citizen of India or a body incorporated in India. it allows limitless, secret donations to political parties, including (and especially) by corporations), under the same FCRA that seeks to restrict funds to NGOs. At a time when India is facing the crippling (weakening, damaging, impairing, destroying, spoiling, paralyzing) effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area) and a long-term economic crisis, the Government’s moves (step, action, measure) that have resulted in (cause, bring on, bring about) an estimated 30% drop (decrease, reduce, lower, lessen) in international non-profit contributions, only hurt the poorest and most vulnerable recipients (beneficiary, receiver) of philanthropic (charitable, humanitarian, socially concerned) efforts, particularly those by NGOs working in areas where government aid (help, assistance, support) fails to reach.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.non-government organisations (NGOs) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गैर सरकारी संगठन
English Meaning - it is also referred to as nonprofit organisations, voluntary organisations ; a group of individuals who enter into an agreement, usually as volunteers, to form a body (or organisation) to accomplish a purpose. A voluntary organisation is an organisation in which whether its workers are paid/unpaid, is initiated & governed by its own members without external control.

2.transparent (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पारदर्शी, स्पष्ट, सीधा
English Meaning - open/candid, forthright, straightforward, honest.

3.enhanced (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बढ़ा हुआ
English Meaning - intensified, amplified, increased.

4.measure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपाय, क्रिया, प्रक्रिया
English Meaning - action, step, procedure.

5.scrutinise (verb)

Hindi Meaning - जांच करना, बारीकी से देखना
English Meaning - examine carefully, inspect; investigate.

6.revelation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - रहस्योद्घाटन, प्रकटीकरण, घोषणा, रिपोर्ट
English Meaning - disclosure, declaration, report/news, announcement.

7.establish (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्थापित करना, साबित करना
English Meaning - prove, demonstrate, show.

8.public interest (noun)

Hindi Meaning - लोक हित, जन हित
English Meaning - the public good; the advantage/benefit of the community in general.

9.ambiguous (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अस्पष्ट, बहस करने योग्य
English Meaning - arguable, debatable, equivocal, ambivalent; unclear, puzzling.

10.as many as (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - ज्यादा से ज्यादा, काफी, पर्याप्त
English Meaning - considerable, substantial, large (number of).

11.scrutiny (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जांच, निरीक्षण, जांच
English Meaning - examination, inspection, investigation.

12.contrary to (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के विपरीत, विरोध करना
English Meaning - conflicting with, opposed to.

13.defence (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बचाव, सुरक्षा
English Meaning - rebuttal, denial.

14.audit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - लेखा-परीक्षा, अंकेक्षण
English Meaning - assessment, evaluation, appraisal, inspection, examination, scrutiny.

15.climate change (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जलवायु परिवर्तन
English Meaning - a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth (Courtesy: NASA).

16.account (noun)

English Meaning - description, report, explanation, narration, narrative, statement.

17.kill (verb)

English Meaning - put an end to, bring to an end, quell, quash, shatter, crush.

18.put the squeeze on (phrase)

English Meaning - pressurize, pressure, coerce someone.

19.long-drawn-out (adjective)

English Meaning - prolonged, protracted, lengthy, lasting, long-lasting, extended.

20.close on the heels of (phrase)

English Meaning - close behind, soon after, immediately after, following closely.

21.missionary (noun)

English Meaning - a person who travels to a foreign country in an attempt to spread a religion, especially Christianity.

22.Missionaries of Charity (noun)

English Meaning - The Missionaries of Charity is a Catholic religious congregation established in 1950 by Mother Teresa. The Missionaries of Charity is an organisation with a long and distinguished record of humanitarian service that began in 1950 on the streets of Calcutta.

23.deny (verb)

English Meaning - reject, abandon, discard.

24.Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010 (noun)

English Meaning - The FCRA regulates foreign donations and ensures that such contributions do not adversely affect internal security. First enacted in 1976, it was amended in 2010 when a slew of new measures were adopted to regulate foreign donations. The FCRA is applicable to all associations, groups and NGOs which intend to receive foreign donations. It is mandatory for all such NGOs to register themselves under the FCRA.

25.sought past tense of seek (verb)

English Meaning - ask for, request, appeal for, apply for.

26.stand (verb)

English Meaning - be in a situation where one is likely to do something.

27.leave to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - assign a decision/action to someone else, particularly someone regarded better qualified.

28.ire (noun)

English Meaning - anger, rage, fury, wrath.

29.slavery (noun)

English Meaning - the condition of being a slave; enslavement, bondage.

30.prominent (adjective)

English Meaning - important, well known.

31.Amnesty International (noun)

English Meaning - founded in 1961, it is a non-governmental organization with its headquarters in the United Kingdom focused on human rights.

32.Greenpeace India (noun)

English Meaning - Greenpeace India is an independent organisation registered in India, connected to a network of other Greenpeace offices in over 55 countries. Greenpeace India has been working on various issues related to the environment since 2001.

33.People’s Watch (noun)

English Meaning - People’s Watch began its journey in 1995 as a programme unit of the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns (CPSC) based in Madurai city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

34.The European Climate Foundation, or the ECF (noun)

English Meaning - an independent philanthropic initiative working to help tackle the climate crisis by fostering the development of a net zero emissions society at the national, European and global level.

35.Compassion International (CI) (noun)

English Meaning - CI has worked in India since 1968, and today, its programmes support over 145,000 Indian children, providing critical tutoring, health and nutrition, and medical services.

36.Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) (noun)

English Meaning - The country’s largest public health advocacy group. The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) is a public private initiative that has collaboratively evolved through consultations with multiple constituencies including Indian and international academia, state and central governments, multi & bi-lateral agencies and civil society groups. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) is a major donor of funds to the PHFI.

37.ample (adjective)

English Meaning - enough, sufficient, adequate, plenty of.

38.better off (phrase)

English Meaning - in a more advantageous position.

39.mirror (verb)

English Meaning - reflect, reproduce, imitate, parallel; reiterate.

40.shut down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - cease activity, close down, cease operation.

41.dissent (noun)

English Meaning - disagreement, lack of agreement, difference of opinion, protest, opposition, disapproval.

42.foreign hand (noun)

English Meaning - foreign assistance, aid, support, succour, relief, help.

43.hypocritical (adjective)

English Meaning - deceptive, dishonest, two-faced, untruthful, self-righteous, pretended, hollow, false, fake.

44.given (preposition)

English Meaning - considering, taking into consideration, taking into account, in view of, bearing in mind, giving consideration to, keeping in mind, in the light of.

45.relative (adjective)

English Meaning - moderate, reasonable, a fair degree of, considerable, some.

46.ease (noun)Hindi

English Meaning - effortlessness, no difficulty, no trouble.

47.campaign (noun)

English Meaning - canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group.

48.electoral bond (noun)

English Meaning - an electoral bond is designed to be a bearer instrument like a Promissory Note — in effect, it will be similar to a bank note that is payable to the bearer on demand and free of interest. It can be purchased by any citizen of India or a body incorporated in India. it allows limitless, secret donations to political parties, including (and especially) by corporations.

49.crippling (adjective)

English Meaning - weakening, damaging, impairing, destroying, spoiling, paralyzing.

50.pandemic (noun)

English Meaning - the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.

51.move (noun)

English Meaning - step, action, measure.

52.result in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - cause, bring on, bring about.

53.drop (verb)

English Meaning - decrease, reduce, lower, lessen.

54.vulnerable (adjective)

English Meaning - endangered, unsafe, unprotected, unguarded, ill-protected; easily affected by, prone to, at risk of.

55.recipient (noun)

English Meaning - beneficiary, receiver.

56.philanthropic (adjective)

English Meaning - charitable, humanitarian, socially concerned.

57.aid (noun)

English Meaning - help, assistance, support.