March 19, 2021

Food distributed at anganwadis to be tested for quality, as part of Mission POSHAN 2.0

Programme: As part of Mission POSHAN 2.0, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has proposed that national laboratories test the meals and food packets distributed at anganwadis for nutritional and quality standards.

In addition to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) labs, the WCD ministry which is the nodal ministry for implementing the programme, plans to rope in the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). It also plans to use rapid food testing kits approved by the regulatory body to eliminate the need for all samples to be sent to the labs for testing, a government official told The Hindu.

The WCD ministry will also partner with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj so that FSSAI and the National Institute of Nutrition can train Panchayati Raj functionaries and anganwadi workers in monitoring the quality of take-home rations distributed at the anganwadis.

Four centrally-sponsored schemes have been merged to form the new Saksham Anganwadi or Mission POSHAN 2.0. The schemes are anganwadi services, POSHAN Abhiyan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, and National Creche Scheme. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the programme in her budget speech in February 2021.

Read this article on what anganwadis can do to ensure that children stay nourished in times of COVID-19 and beyond.


May 20, 2021

Home Ministry extends validity period of FCRA registration certificates

Fundraising & Communications: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a circular extending the validity of FCRA registration certificates to September 30th, 2021. This applies to all FCRA licences that have expired or will expire between September 29th, 2020 and May 31st, 2021. The decision to extend the deadline has been driven by the exigencies arising from the COVID-19 situation.

FCRA refers to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 2010, which permits charitable organisations based in India to raise funds from foreign sources.

The order also clarified that nonprofits that have already opened an account and have the requisite permission to receive foreign aid, can henceforth receive it only in these newly-opened accounts.

The FCRA law was amended in September 2020 to include a clause that mandated that all nonprofits receiving foreign aid must necessarily open an account in State Bank of India’s New Delhi Main Branch. The government had initially set the deadline for this account opening as March 31st, 2021; it later extended it to June 30th, 2021 after several nonprofits argued in court that there had been delays because necessary approvals from MHA had not been received.

Several organisations have not been able to receive foreign funds during the crisis caused by the second wave, and this has impacted their COVID-19 relief efforts. Relaxing the foreign funding rules could significantly help organisations ramp up their operations to help individuals, supply critical healthcare equipment, and respond to communities in rural areas.

Read this article to know how amending the FCRA can have unforeseen implications.


May 20, 2021

Corporate spending on oxygen support and medical equipment now counts as CSR

Philanthropy & CSR: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has issued a circular that allows corporate spending on health infrastructure for COVID-19 care to qualify as corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure.

This includes setting up medical oxygen generation and storage plants, manufacturing and supply of oxygen concentrators, ventilators, cylinders, and other medical equipment to counter COVID-19.  

The announcement comes at a time when all efforts are being directed towards expediting efforts to support the country’s healthcare infrastructure.

According to the circular, companies can now undertake projects and activities in collaboration with other companies using CSR funds. Additionally, they can contribute to specified research and development projects, as well as publicly funded universities and certain organisations that conduct research in science, technology, engineering, and medicine.

The government had earlier clarified that setting up makeshift hospitals and temporary COVID-19 care facilities would also be considered a CSR activity. Rajesh Verma, the Corporate Affairs Secretary, has requested businesses to consider converting vacant office buildings into COVID-19 facilities to cater to the rapidly increasing caseload.

Read this article to understand why media attention on COVID-19 deaths due to lack of oxygen in big cities has skewed donor priorities.