Lok Sabha Question No. 53 (STARRED), answered on 2019-02-06
Subject: Development Assistance
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.53 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2019

## DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

## *53. SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has provided any development assistance to any other country in the financial year 2017-18;
- (b) if so, the details of such assistance, country-wise;
- (c) the   details   of   development   assistance   provided   by   the   Government between the years 2008 and 2017, country and project-wise; and
- (d) the   number   and   the   details   of   Small   Development   Projects   (SDPs) implemented by India in various countries?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRIMATI SUSHMA SWARAJ)

- (a) to (d) A statement is laid on the table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA   STARRED   QUESTION   NO.   53   REGARDING   'DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT' FOR ANSWER ON 06.02.2019

(a) to (c) Development assistance is a key instrument in India's foreign policy and the scope and reach of India's development assistance has seen considerable expansion in the past few years. India's abiding geo-political, strategic and economic interests and the need to

effectively   deliver   India's   assistance   programme   has   prompted   greater   engagement   with developing   countries,   particularly   on   the   development   cooperation   front.  The   focus   of development assistance has been the countries in India's neighbourhood and in Africa, though India is also expanding its development cooperation reach to South East Asia, East and Central Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Pacific Island Countries, etc. India's development assistance is based on the needs of the partner countries and is geared towards responding to as many of the requests received from these countries as technically and financially feasible. The main instruments of India's development assistance include   Lines   of   Credit   (LOC),   Grant   assistance,   Small   Development   Projects   (SDP), Technical Consultancy, Disaster Relief and Humanitarian aid, as well as capacity-building programmes under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC). Grant   assistance   projects   are   concentrated   primarily   in   India's   neighbourhood   in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, in Mauritius and some other African countries, and many of them are on-going. GoI Lines of Credit (LOCs) on concessional terms form an important component of India's   development   cooperation   policy   in  Africa,  Asia   and   Latin  America   and   several projects are being implemented under LOCs. The engagement with African countries through various development partnership initiatives has witnessed a marked increase in the last decade, especially after India-Africa Forum Summit III in 2015. Since 2005-06 till January 2019, 274 LOCs aggregating to US$ 26.79 billion have been extended to 63 countries in various sectors, of which 189 LOCs aggregating US$ 11.36 billion have been allocated for African countries, 53 LOCs aggregating US$ 14.47 billion for Asian countries, with the balance   32   LOCs   aggregating   US$   970.53   million   for   Latin   America,   Oceania   and Commonwealth for Independent states (CIS) countries. During 2017-18, 10,918 civilian training slots were offered under ITEC Programme to 161 partner countries for various short-term and medium-term courses in institutions spread all over India.   The civilian training programme, fully sponsored by the Government with more than sixty-eight premier institutions running courses, conducted around 309 courses for working   professionals   in   a   wide   and   diverse   range   of   skills   and   disciplines   such   as Agriculture,   Food   and   Fertilizers;   Banking,   Finance,    Accounts   and  Audit;   Education; Engineering   &   Technology;   English   Language;   Environment   and   Climate   Change; Government Function;   Health   and  Yoga;   Human   Resource   Development   and   Planning; Irrigation   and   Water   Resources;   Information   Technology   (IT)   and   Business   English; Journalism; Management and Leadership; Power, Renewable & Alternate Energy, Project

Management; Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation; Small and Medium Enterprises

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(SMEs)   and   Entrepreneurship;   Sustainable   Development   and   South-South   Cooperation; Telecommunication; Textile; Trade and International Market; Urban Planning and Women Empowerment.

Deputation of experts under ITEC programme has served as a very important tool for sharing Indian expertise with the developing world. As on November 2017, forty-nine experts in   various   fields   were   on   deputation   to   partner   countries   in   areas   of   Information   and Communication Technology (I&CT), Coconut experts, English teachers and Ayurveda.

Cooperation on the humanitarian front was extended by India to countries affected by disasters. Inter alia, medicines have been made available to Mozambique, Nicaragua, Libya and Myanmar. Food items have been supplied to Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Syria, Bangladesh, DPRK and Myanmar. Cash assistance has been provided to Croatia, Burundi, Serbia and Zimbabwe etc. Medical supplies have been provided to Nepal, Afghanistan, Zambia, Yemen, Syria, Mozambique, Tanzania etc. We are also undertaking the building of houses   in   Nepal,   Sri   Lanka   and   Afghanistan.   India   has   also   extended   development cooperation to Cuba and Tanzania. Tractors and implements have been provided to Cuba and NCERT books have been provided to Tanzania.

(d) Small   Development   Projects   (SDPs)   constitute   an   active   pillar   of   India's development assistance to foreign countries. The Government of India has committed US$ 200 million for SDPs in Afghanistan since 2006 and under this commitment, so far, 536 projects have been approved for implementation, of which 327 projects have been completed. Government of India has committed 51 SDPs in Sri Lanka of which 48 have been completed and 3 are under execution.

The Government extends assistance annually to the SDP programme in Nepal for the implementation of projects each costing less than NPR 5 crore (approximately INR 3.125 Crore). The Government has implemented about 200 SDPs in Nepal between the years 2008 and 2017.

During the 10 th Five Year Plan of Bhutan (2008-13), 1950 SDPs of short gestation and which were community-oriented, focusing mainly on drinking water schemes, irrigation channels, farm roads and other infrastructure in rural areas, were implemented with GoI assistance of INR 700 Crore. During the 11 th Five Year Plan of Bhutan (2013-2018), 596 SDPs focusing mainly on drinking water schemes, schools in rural areas, irrigation canals, farm roads, block connectivity roads, basic health units and staff quarters, market sheds,

community meeting halls and other basic infrastructure in rural areas were implemented with GoI assistance of INR 850 Crore.

In Bangladesh, Government is undertaking 5 SDPs with a total commitment of INR 91.42 Crore. These projects span different sectors such as rural & urban infrastructure, training in IT etc.

In Myanmar, Government is undertaking 5 SDPs with a total commitment of US$ 3.27 million. These projects span different sectors such as health care, IT, agriculture, supply projects etc.

Additionally, Government undertakes SDPs in some other partner countries such as Suriname, Dominica, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Niue etc.

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