Govt suspends FCRA licence of think-tank Centre for Policy Research

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs has suspended the FCRA licence of prominent public think-tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR) for six months over alleged violation of laws, officials said on Thursday. CPR, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), in a statement, said it continues to cooperate fully with authorities, is in complete compliance with the law and is routinely scrutinised and audited by government authorities, including the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. CPR was under scrutiny after Income-Tax surveys on it and Oxfam India in September last year.

The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of CPR has been suspended over alleged violation of laws, the officials said.

Oxfam's FCRA licence was suspended in January last year, after which the NGO had filed a revision petition with the home ministry.

With the suspension of its licence, given under the FCRA, the Centre for Policy Research will not be able to receive any funds from abroad. The donors of CPR included the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania, the World Resources Institute and the Duke University, the officials said.

According to CPR's website, its founder is Pai Panindiker and former members of the governing board include former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former Chief Justice of India, the late, Y V Chandrachud. The think-tank has been asked to give clarification and documents regarding FCRA funds received by it, the officials said.