India initiates to instill more transparency in foreign aid
Indian has initiated a number of steps, including the establishment of a central aid agency, to bring greater transparency and swiftness in delivery structures. In the last 4-5 years India has emerged as one of the big donors among developing countries to less developed and smaller countries. But allegations of lethargic delivery and fund diversion have been made from many sides. To overcome this situation India has taken some key initiatives. Setting up of Development Partnership Administration (DPA) is one among those positive moves.
- DPA is a department of the External Affairs Ministry,
- Headed by P.S. Raghavan (additional secretary in the External Affairs ministry)
- Department aims at augmenting India’s soft power and economic diplomacy through swifter aid delivery.
- Provides structural framework for dispensing and channelizing aid
- Currently consists of around 20 officials including professionals from different countries
- It integrates all aspects related to project implementation, ranging from monitoring implementation and auditing impact assessment
- Specialists from other ministries, including the railways, telecommunications, agriculture and human resource development, are being incorporated into it.
- Experts also join from outside the government as consultants on a project-to-project basis.
With China’s expanding its diplomatic reach in the developing world, India has also expanded aid and soft loans of over US$11 billion to developing countries as a mean to further India’s strategic interests through economic diplomacy and soft power projection.
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Month: Current Affairs - June, 2012