An Outlook on NGO DARPAN Registration

The NGO DARPAN was previously maintained by former Planning Commission, which was later replaced by the NITI Aayog from January, 2015. The online Portal is being maintained at present under the guidance of NITI Aayog. It invites all Voluntary Organizations as well as Non-Governmental Organizations to sign up on the Portal. Let us have a look at the process for NGO DARPAN registration, and why this certificate is important. 

For the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) sector in India to be compliant and transparent, NGO Darpan registration is an essential first step. NGO Darpan, which was founded by the Indian government, offers NGOs an online registration and disclosure platform for crucial operational information that eases NGO Compliance. This procedure increases sector efficiency, encourages accountability, and strengthens government-NGO partnerships. By requiring NGOs to register through NGO Darpan, a consolidated database will be created, which will enhance information accessibility, foster partnerships, and allow for efficient NGO activity monitoring. In essence, NGO Darpan registration is essential to improving stakeholder trust, expediting NGO operations, and furthering sustainable development initiatives throughout India. During times like the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, or other major havoc, this can be beneficial in providing aid to the general public with the help of the government without much fuss about the budget.

A Brief Overview on NGO DARPAN

To get the NGO Darpan Registration done, it needs to follow the NGO Compliance set by the regulatory bodies. Although the process for NGO Darpan Registration in India is as follows –

• Initially, the applicant needs to go to the official website of NGO Darpan to sign up and get the new user registration on the portal.
• The applicant then needs to submit certain details like the NGO name, OTP verification through contact details and email, PAN details of the said NGO, etc, for NGO Compliance. A password for your portal can be created once the OTP verification has been done.
• Then, the applicant needs to log in to the account created through the Darpan Portal, and the details of the NGO have to be filled in on the platform. These include NGO registration, the total number of members in the organization with full details, funding details that have been taken from the government, and also, it has to mention the activities it is involved in and what sector the NGO works in. These details need to be updated from time to time.
• There is a requirement to upload certain documents in the portal to maintain NGO compliance while registering for NGO Darpan. These documents include the PAN of the NGO and the NGO certificate of registration. Also, three executive members of the NGO have to provide their documents as required by the portal to complete the registration process. As soon as these documents have been uploaded, the applicant can save them since the profile is made and completed as per the requirements mentioned in the portal to maintain NGO compliance.
• After the required documents are uploaded to the Darpan portal, they will be verified, and upon successful verification, a unique ID will be generated and granted to the applicant. This unique ID should be recorded safely since it is very important in getting government grants, benefits of policies, 12A and 80G registrations, and maintaining NGO Compliance.

Essential Documents required for NGO DARPAN Registration

Any NGO or Volunteer Organization which has obtained society registration, Section 8 Company registration or trust registration is eligible to apply for the registration of NGO DARPAN.

Here’s a quick glance at the documents essential for NGO DARPAN registration.

Further Details Required are as Follows

• PAN Number;
• Name of NGO or Volunteer Organization;
• Address of NGO;
• Registration authority as well as Registration Number;
• Registration Date;
• Details of 3 members who are on the executive committee;
• Details of funding from the government;
• Details regarding the area of working.

Read our article:NGO Registration – Step by Step Procedure

Benefits of NGO DARPAN

The Benefits of NGO Darpan Registration in NGO Compliance are illustrated below –

1. Through NGO Darpan registration, the entity gets recognition from the government, and now its activities can be seen and appreciated by the government.
2. Many governmental organizations give funds and grants to such organizations for public welfare, and with Darpan registration, the grants will be given to such entities without any complications.
3. Organizations having annual turnover over a certain threshold limit have to compulsorily conduct CSR 1 (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities, and the NGOs having Darpan registration are most likely to get funds for carrying out CSR 1, thereby serving the purpose of NGO Registration in India.
4. The registered NGOs are eligible to claim tax benefits under sections 12 A and 80G of the Income Tact Act 1961 if they are properly following NGO compliance. Through this, even a donor is exempted from tax up to a limit if he/ she/ it has a certificate of donation issued by such NGO. This is one of the biggest positives for NGO Registration in India. 
5. Through NGO Compliance and registration, they get market access, and the visibility of their work is strengthened. This attracts more and more donations and grants from private bodies, individuals as well as the government. 
6. NGO Darpan requires registration, which makes it necessary for them to maintain proper records and submit reports of transactions to the government, which maintains transparency and accountability.

Process for NGO DARPAN registration

The government has made it compulsory for NGO or Volunteer Organization to complete their NGO DARPAN registration through online portal.

The NGO requires the NGO certificate and a unique ID for FCRA registration and to apply for any other grants provided by the government. Here is a quick glance at the registration process for NGO DARPAN. 

• Login to NGO Darpan official website through www.ngodarpan.gov.in/
• For new registration click on the Sign Up icon, and create a user id as well as password. Keep these credentials for further use.
• Select the registration icon and provide all the details required related to your NGO.

Details related to NGO to be filed-

• Name of NGO or Volunteer Organization;
• PAN of the organization;
• Copy of PAN;
• Name of Chief Functionary;
• Name of Secretary;
• Name of treasurer;
• Provide basic contact details during the above step with details of the PAN.
• OTP will be received on the number provided by the applicant, use this OTP for further verification and generating new password.
• After login, provide the below mentioned details related to your registration. The details are as follows-
• Type of NGO;
• Act under which NGO is registered;
• City of Registration;
• Date of registration;
• Validity of registration;
• Registration Number;
• Copy of registration.
• In case of multiple registrations, details regarding second and third registration are also required. The details are same as the details mentioned in point 6.
• Fill in the details regarding appropriate sector as well as key issues on which the NGO will work and also the operational area.
•  Provide the complete address and then click submit along with self declaration regarding the details provided above are correct.

Things to remember for NGO DARPAN Registration

• The online portal does not allow unregistered groups or individuals to register for the scheme of NGO DARPAN;
• The online portal also helps NGO to know details related to government grants and scheme and apply for the same. They can also track the status of their application filed.
• To apply for government grants, the NGO will first have to register with the NGO DARPAN and create a user ID for them. Afterwards, they can go through the links provided to find the grants, and get the contact details of Nodal Officers for such schemes for information. 
• The password should contain one Capital letter, one digit, and must have more than 6 characters.
• You should make sure that the copy of Certificate shall be less than 2MB to upload. 
• While uploading Trust deed, applicant needs to upload copy of the first page and one page with the signature of the applicant.

Conclusion

NGO registration in India is growing day by day, and a person needs to be trained to look at the functioning and accounting of these organizations and determine if they are following NGO compliance or not. With the NGO Darpan portal and registration, the streamlining of the process has been considerably eased for the government to look into the books of accounts, transactions, and services of these NGOs. It has created transparency in their functioning, and it also helps in getting funds, grants, and favourable policies for the entity to function properly. With the introduction of CSR 1 for the companies, the use and work of these NGOs has increased, and now they are approached more by big entities helping their cause.

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