Shillong, Aug 13: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma welcomed the Centre’s decision to refer the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), saying concerns raised by churches, religious organisations and other institutions must be examined.
Sangma said the Meghalaya government and the National People’s Party (NPP) were among the first to raise concerns over the proposed legislation with the Centre. He said the NPP had taken up the matter with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju when the Bill was initially introduced.
He recalled leading a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) to meet Rijiju, followed by another Meghalaya delegation that met Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Sangma said his intervention was not politically motivated but stemmed from the state’s close association with organisations that could be affected by the proposed changes.
Welcoming the referral, he said the JPC should examine concerns raised by churches, religious organisations and other stakeholders and ensure a balance between regulating foreign contributions and allowing legitimate institutions to continue their social work without unnecessary difficulties.
The Lok Sabha on August 12 approved a motion to refer the FCRA Amendment Bill to a 31-member JPC for detailed examination. The panel is expected to examine stakeholder concerns and submit its report during the Winter Session.
