Rajiv Gandhi Foundation
Indian non-profit organisation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Indian non-profit organisation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation was established on 21 June 1991. The foundation works on a wide range of issues stretching from development of knowledge, to health, disability, authorization of the destitute, livelihoods and natural resource management. Its current focus areas are community welfare, literacy, health and special programmes for children and women.[2] All donations to the foundation are tax deductible to the extent of 50 percent under section 80G of the Income Tax Act.[1]
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| Founded | 21 June 1991 |
|---|---|
| Type | Charitable Institution (exemption status): 80(g)[1] |
| Focus | Education, Disability, Natural resource management, Libraries |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Location | |
Area served | India |
| Method | Direct Implementation, Grant Making, Working with Partner Organizations |
Key people | Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson Manmohan Singh, Trustee P. Chidambaram, Trustee Rahul Gandhi, Trustee Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Trustee |
| Website | www.rgfindia.org |
The foundation is headed by Sonia Gandhi, who is also the leader of the Indian National Congress Party. In October 2022, ministry of home affairs cancelled the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 license of Rajiv Gandhi foundation over allegations of violation of laws.[3]
The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation was set up to carry forward the legacy of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi. The Jawahar Bhawan Trust, led by Sonia Gandhi met in July, 1991 and passed a resolution inviting the foundation to work in the Jawahar Bhawan.[4]
The foundation constituted a group of 8 founding Trustees. They were Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Amitabh Bachchan, Suman Dubey, N.K. Seshan and Sunil Nehru. In 1992, P. V. Narasimha Rao, P. Chidambaram, V. Krishnamurthy, Sam Pitroda, Dr. Sekhar Raha, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Montek Singh Ahluwalia and R. P. Goenka[citation needed] were also inducted as Trustees.[5]
In August 1991, the foundation setup Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies (RGICS) to provide research based ideas, analysis, policy and practical programmes into contemporary problem. RGICS programmes cover economic reform, science and technology, social problem, public affairs and international relations. The Institute organizes conferences, lectures, workshops, short studies and projects and invites experts to lend their insight into the contemporary issues. It also encourages research scholars, scientists, economists and social scientists to undertake projects which can provide inputs towards policy framing and decision making.[citation needed] Some of the speakers include Robert McNamara,[6] Nelson Mandela,[7] Hillary Clinton,[citation needed] and Edward Said.[8]
The foundation enables physically challenged young people to access better opportunities by awarding motorised vehicles.[11][12]
The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation has been working on issues of livelihoods and Natural Resource Management since 2001.[2][9] This programme was implemented in backward villages in Jaipur, Pali and Karoli districts of Rajasthan which faced serious environmental degradation. A third party evaluation revealed the significant impact in the lives of the targeted families.[citation needed] In order to scale up this transformative work, RGF set up Gram Gaurav on 19 December 2011. Gram Gaurav currently works in 74 villages located in Dang region of Karauli and Dholpur districts to augment water resources, conserve soil and enhance agriculture production.[13]
Since 1993, the foundation has set up 1648 libraries in villages and slums across 22 states in India. In 2013, RGF partnered with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and worked with the public libraries in Barabanki and Rai Bareilly districts of Uttar Pradesh.[16][17][18] It plans to open a library in each village of India.[19]
In 1991, Manmohan Singh the then Minister of Finance had tried to allocate the foundation a sum of 100 crore rupees. The Budget Speech of 1991-92 by Manmohan Singh presented on July 24, 1991, has the detail.
"As a homage to the late Shri Rajiv Gandhi and in support of the laudable objectives of the foundation, Government has decided to contribute Rs 100 crore to the foundation at the rate of Rs 20 crores per annum for a period of five years beginning from the current year," the then Finance Minister said in the Budget speech.
After huge political uproar, the decision was overturned. In the subsequent discussions that followed, Manmohan Singh had read a letter from the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, that stated that the foundation appreciates the generous sum but it thinks that the government should itself invest the funds in suitable projects.[20]
The UPA government led by Congress has also been accused of diverting funds from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the foundation while members of the Gandhi family and other senior Congress leaders sat on both board.[21][22]
In 2005-6 and 2007–8, while Congress led UPA was in power, it received funds from several ministries, public sector banks and PSUs.[22]
It have also been criticised for receiving funds from Sonia Gandhi led PMNRF, a fund set up by public donations.[22]
In September 2016, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation had received donations from Zakir Naik in 2011 despite the government having had expressed security concern with regard to Naik's TV channel.[23] Later, a congress spokesperson claimed that the Rs 50 lakhs were returned.[24]
In June 2020, the BJP accused the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation of accepting a donation of $300,000 from the Chinese government during 2005-06 and questioned whether it was a “bribe” for lobbying for a free trade agreement between India and China which, according to Ravi Shankar Prasad, lead to a 33% increase in trade deficit between India and China under the congress government.[22][25][26][27]
In 2020, Ministry of Home Affairs set up an inter-ministerial committee headed by the special director of the Enforcement Department to coordinate investigation into violation of various legal provisions of PMLA, Income Tax Act, FCRA and other provisions by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation along with the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust. The committee will consist of the representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation and Income Tax Department.[22][28]
In 2022, the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation's Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence has been revoked by the Central Government.[29]
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