The Hindu : National : Aid to African countries up

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 09, 2004

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National

Aid to African countries up

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 8. Indian aid to African countries will go up to Rs. 104.54 crores in 2004-05 as opposed to a sum of Rs. 71.62 crores allocated in the previous financial year. In the last financial year, India initiated a "Team Nine" initiative to boost links with African nations.

"The allocations reflect India's abiding interest in providing assistance to developmental projects in friendly countries, not only our immediate neighbours, but also to Africa, Central Asia and South-East Asia," the demands for grants for the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Overall, the Ministry's budgetary allocation for 2004-05 stands at Rs. 3,640.99 crores compared to Rs. 3,410 crores for 2003-04.The allocation for Bhutan alone is Rs. 979.8 crores compared to Rs. 1,000 crores in the previous year.

However, the allocation for Bhutan remains more than the Rs. 855 crores to be spent on all 162 Indian diplomatic missions and posts abroad.

Apart from the aid to Africa, the Government has also allotted Rs. 249.25 crores for assistance to other developing countries in the current financial year as against Rs. 172.05 crores spent in 2003-04.

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