The Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan has received approval to accept foreign donations under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), according to a report by PTI. The Union home ministry granted this permission after a detailed review and approval from the court.

A court-appointed commission currently oversees the temple, which was formerly thought of as private property managed by a family of priests. This change followed legal action meant to guarantee improved management of the well-known holy location. The management committee submitted a request for the FCRA licence under the 2010 Act after acknowledging the increased number of foreign currency offerings as well as global interest in supporting the temple. Now that the temple has been granted the licence, it will be able to collect donations from foreign countries. It will also help the temple manage contributions with improved transparency.

The development follows the recent changes made to the FCRA regulations in 2022. The major upgrade, that has been noted is the reduction in administrative expenses for foreign funds, which earlier was 50 per cent, now reduced to 20 per cent. Such strict limits help ensure that funds are being used for their intended outcome directly.  The organisations which seek foreign funding will need to gain FCRA registration, valid for 5 years and subject to renewal, as per the regulations. All the applicants will be required to provide documentation such as Aadhar details or passport/OCI card information. According to the regulations, the process of obtaining foreign funding must be processed by an official State Bank of India (SBI) branch in New Delhi. 

The development comes amidst the crisis of Foreign Contribution (Regulation), marking a crucial milestone. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Thursday, filed a charge sheet against Oxfam India for alleged violations of the Act. According to the CBI, Oxfam India eyed the continuation of its operation with foreign funding in spite of facing rejection for renewal by FCRA.