The Hindu Business Line : Bengal may get `budgetary support' from UK body

THE Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK may provide "budgetary support" to the West Bengal Government during the current calendar year.

Initial discussions in this regard with officials of the State Government were held here on Thursday by Mr Gareth Thomas, Minister for Asia at DFID.

Stating this at a press conference held here, Mr Thomas said DFID has provided similar budgetary support to Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. While Andhra Pradesh has been provided £65 million, Orissa has received £30 million.

Mr Thomas replied in the negative when asked if any conditions were attached to such financial support. "The aid we provide are not tied. We do not impose any conditions when we give aid. However, we discuss and agree with the State Government concerned on how the funds that we provide are going to be spent." DFID has a "robust" monitoring mechanism to track how these funds are spent.

DFID provides financial assistance for various projects in four select States. These include Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. In 2003, the total aid given to these States was £155 million. In 2004, it will increase this to £200 million. The corpus would gradually be hiked to £300 million. A large chunk of the aid is allocated for the National Aids Control Organisation.

On Thursday, DFID, along with the Government of West Bengal, launched a joint initiative christened Kolkata Urban Services for the Poor. Under the project, DFID will provide £102 million to 40 municipalities in West Bengal over the next seven years. The municipal authorities can use the money to fund various projects including those related to education, healthcare, civic amenities, etc.

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