USAID, the US Government agency working to end extreme global poverty, will spend $100 million a year in India on poverty alleviation schemes covering health, food security, clean energy and education. USAID held symposium on Wednesday to discuss schemes for providing potable drinking water in rural India.

The agency is seeking to partner with Indian corporate houses and non-government organisations, and the symposium was attended by representatives of local companies and NGOs to identify projects that could be taken up in the State and elsewhere.

“About 75 per cent of the money will be spent on health-related programmes. We look forward to working with Indian corporations,” Kathryn D. Stevens, Deputy Mission Director, USAID, said.

CSR Spend

The organisation is currently engaged in implementing the Health of the Urban Poor programmes in eight States, including Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.

Michael C Mullins, Consul General, Consulate General of the US, said the agency’s initiative to improve supply of potable drinking water would go a long way in improving the health of rural India.

He wanted Indian corporate houses, which have to spend a portion of their profits for CSR programmes, to participate in this programme.

Water borne disease

It is estimated that 37.38 million people are impacted by water borne diseases in rural India every year, while 1.5 million children die of diarrhoea.

Over 73 working days are estimated to be lost every year due to this health problem.

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