Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Sunday and sought the Centre's intervention on issues related to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).
The chief minister was accompanied by a delegation of church and community leaders from Meghalaya. Among those present were representatives of the Presbyterian Church of India, the North East India Christian Council, the Archdiocese of Shillong and the Garo Baptist Convention.
During the meeting, the delegation expressed concern over the implementation of existing FCRA provisions as well as the proposed amendments to the law. They said several educational, healthcare and charitable institutions in Meghalaya rely on foreign contributions to run their activities and feared that stricter regulations could affect their work.
According to the delegation, many schools, colleges, hospitals, hostels, skill development centres and social welfare programmes operating in remote parts of the state depend on such funding. They urged the Centre to consider Meghalaya's geographical challenges and the important role these institutions play in reaching people living in far-flung areas.
Sangma said faith-based organisations have been working with the government for many years in delivering education, healthcare and humanitarian assistance, particularly in places where public services are limited. He noted that these organisations have built strong ties with local communities and continue to support thousands of people across the state.
