NEW DELHI: The latest annual report of the finance ministry has shed light on the past disbursals of now-scrapped USAID funding to India, which opened a new battlefront between the ruling BJP-led NDA and the opposition parties.
In the report, the ministry claimed that the US agency funded seven projects worth 750 million US dollars (Rs 6,500 crore approx.) in the fiscal year 2024.However, the report did not have any mention of the funds allegedly pumped in to “enhance voter turnout” ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“Currently, seven projects worth a total budget of USD 750 million (approx.) are being implemented by USAID in partnership with Government of India,” as per the finance ministry annual report for 2023-24.
For the financial year 2023-24, an obligation of a total of USD 97 million (about Rs 825 crore) has been made by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the seven projects, the report said as per news agency PTI.
The finance ministry-led economic affairs department, which is the nodal department for bilateral funding arrangements, also shared the details of projects funded in FY24 in the report.
During the year, no funding was made for enhancing voter turnout but to projects related to agriculture & food security programme; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); Renewable Energy; disaster management and health, the report said.
Besides, it said, funds were committed for Sustainable Forests and Climate Adaptation Program and Energy Efficiency Technology Commercialisation and Innovation Project.
The United States began providing bilateral development assistance to India in 1951, primarily through USAID. Since its inception, USAID has contributed over USD 17 billion toward various sectors, supporting more than 555 projects across the country.
Earlier this month, a political controversy erupted when Elon Musk-led DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) claimed it had revoked a USD 21 million grant intended to enhance “voter turnout” in India.
US President Donald Trump also alleged multiple times that under former President Joe Biden’s administration, USAID had sanctioned USD 21 million to India for “voter turnout” efforts.
Addressing the matter, external affairs minister S Jaishankar called the information released by the Trump administration as “concerning” and stated that the Indian government is investigating the issue.
He further said that USAID was permitted in India “in good faith, to do good faith activities,” and raised concerns over reports from the US suggesting “there are activities which are in bad faith.”
Meanwhile, the Congress party on Sunday accused the BJP of engaging in “anti-national work” by spreading “fake news from America.”
The party further questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaishankar remained silent while Donald Trump and Elon Musk allegedly “insulted” India repeatedly.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticised the ruling party, stating, “BJP is a procession of liars and illiterates. The news about USD 21 million, on which the BJP and their bootlickers were jumping on, turned out to be fake. The USD 21 million in 2022 was not for ‘voter turnout’ in India, but for Bangladesh.”