Odisha CM Sanctions Rs 79 Lakh to Assist Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sanctioned nearly Rs 79 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) to support 13 institutions run by the Missionaries of Charity (MOC) in the state, his office said in a statement on Tuesday, 4 January.

The 13 leprosariums and orphanages are spread over eight districts, where more than 900 inmates will be benefited by this decision, news agency ANI reported, citing the CMO.

This comes days after the Ministry of Home Affairs refused to renew the FCRA licence of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, causing a significant disruption for their charitable work across India.

The congregation was denied a renewal of their FCRA registration on Christmas day, 25 December. This renewal is necessary for the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions.

The MHA, on 25 December 2021, stated that the MoC's request for renewal of their FCRA certification was refused, for "not meeting the eligibility conditions under the FCRA 2010 and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules (FCRR) 2011."

Meanwhile, for nearly 6,000 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO)s across the country, 2022 began with the lapse of their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registrations. This meant foreign funds, necessary for day-to-day work and charitable endeavours, had either been snipped off or locked out of reach.

The list of organisations whose FCRA registration has lapsed include Jamia Millia Islamia, Oxfam India, and even the Indian Medical Association (IMA).