SHILLONG — Rajya Sabha MP James P.K. Sangma has asked the parliamentary committee examining proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) to visit Shillong, giving Meghalaya’s church organisations and civil society groups an opportunity to place their concerns directly before the panel.
Sangma, a special invitee to the Joint Parliamentary Committee chaired by BJP MP Dr Sanjay Jaiswal, confirmed that he had written to the chairman requesting consultations in Shillong. He said a local meeting would make it easier for stakeholders from Meghalaya and the wider Northeast to present their views.
The committee is consulting stakeholders and government departments as it examines the proposed FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026. Sangma said the panel was expected to complete its work and submit its report before the Winter Session of Parliament concludes, but declined to reveal details of its internal discussions.
“I am not at liberty to divulge details of what transpired in those meetings,” he said, adding that he was confident the committee would complete its task under Jaiswal’s chairmanship. Sangma also declined to comment when asked about remarks on the FCRA by Congress MP Saleng A. Sangma of Tura. He said his priority was to hear different stakeholders and ensure the Northeast’s concerns were represented before the committee finalised its recommendations.
The proposed amendments have drawn apprehension in Meghalaya, where church bodies and civil society organisations rely on foreign contributions for various education, healthcare and community development programmes. Critics fear tighter rules could complicate funding and threaten the functioning of institutions serving communities across the state, particularly in rural areas.
A visit to Shillong would allow the panel to hear those concerns directly as it weighs the proposed changes.
