Registered local and international NGOs are projected to spend Rs. 30 billion this year, yet unregistered groups are estimated to spend more than double that amount without any oversight. This alarming trend has prompted urgent calls for the enactment of the NGO Regulation and Supervision Bill, currently pending with the line ministry after receiving clearance from the Legal Draftsman’s Department.

There are 1,851 NGOs registered with the National NGO Secretariat, with only 618 remaining active. While the secretariat supervises the financial activities of these registered entities, around 700 NGOs fall under the Registrar of Companies, evading oversight.

Concerns have also been raised about governance, with reports of some NGOs primarily comprising family members or foreign nationals on their boards.