Shillong: Government data reveals a sharp decline in foreign funding access across the Northeast. Out of 2,313 organizations registered since 2010, only 463 hold active licences today. Stricter federal compliance requirements fueled the purge. A massive 1,850 registrations have either been cancelled or deemed ceased.
Manipur faces the hardest hit in the region. It holds 989 total registrations, but only 113 remain active. Assam reports 169 active licences out of 599 total entries. Meghalaya currently lists 81 active groups from an original pool of 207, leaving dozens of charitable and religious institutions scrambling to adjust.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma recently pushed Union Home Minister Amit Shah to reconsider the current law. He argues the rules stifle vital education, healthcare, and community welfare work. Local groups claim the red tape hurts development in remote tribal areas.
The Ministry of Home Affairs maintains these steps ensure transparency and national security. They insist the reforms keep foreign funding accountable. BJP leader A.L. Hek remains cautious about the scope of the problem. "I don’t know about such reports, if it comes to my notice I will take up the case with the centre," he told The Shillong Times.
Every state in the region now shows less than one-third of its historical registrations still in play. Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura report similar patterns of mass cancellations. The debate over these regulations continues to heat up across the Northeast.
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