India is the world’s fourth largest economy, based on purchasing power, and has qualified as a middle income country since 2007. India is now also an aid donor in its own right. However despite its impressive economic growth rates, India remains home to over 400 million or one third of the world’s poorest people living on less than $1.25 per day. India also has high rates of maternal and infant mortality.
The Department for International Development’s (DFID) will provide India with £825 million for the period 2008-2011 making it DFID’s largest bilateral programme. DFID’s programme aims to help India reduce poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). DFID works at the national level and in focus states with high levels of poverty. DFID is the largest donor in India.
India is a member of the Commonwealth, and has a strong relationship with the UK including through the UN, the G20, the World Trade Organisation and the international financial institutions and regional banks.
In June 2010 DFID announced a review of all its bilateral programmes. It intends to focus on fewer countries and to ensure that aid is targeted where it can do most good.
Invitation to submit Written Evidence
The Committee invites written evidence on the following points:
- Whether DFID’s programme in India has had a significant effect on reducing poverty and meeting the MDGs at national and state levels;
- DFID’s ability to act as a catalyst for other donors, to demonstrate best practice and influence wider development outcomes in India;
- What should DFID’s role be in the wider relationship between the UK and India?
The deadline for submitting written evidence is 22 November 2010
Written evidence submitted should:
- If possible, be provided electronically in MS Word or Rich Text format by e-mail to indcom@parliament.uk. If submitted by e-mail or e-mail attachment, a letter should also be sent validating the e-mail. The letterhead should contain your full postal address and contact details
- Begin with a one page summary if it is longer than six pages
- Have numbered paragraphs
- Avoid the use of colour or expensive-to-print material.
Submissions can also be sent by post to International Development Committee, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London, SW1P 3JA. A guide for written submissions to Select Committees may be found on the parliamentary website at: http://www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/witguide.htm
Please also note that:
- Material already published elsewhere should not form the basis of a submission, but may be referred to within written evidence, in which case a hard copy of the published work should be included. If a number of published documents are sent to accompany written evidence, these should be listed in the covering email.
- Written evidence submitted must be kept confidential until published by the Committee, unless publication by the person or organization submitting it is specifically authorised.
- Once submitted, evidence is the property of the Committee. The Committee normally, though not always, chooses to make public the written evidence it receives, by publishing it on the internet (where it will be searchable), by printing it or by making it available through the Parliamentary Record Office. If there is any information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure. The Committee will take this into account in deciding whether to publish or further disclose the evidence.
- It would be helpful, for Data Protection purposes, if individuals wishing to submit written evidence send their contact details separately in a covering letter. You should be aware that there may be circumstances in which the House of Commons will be required to communicate information to third parties on request, in order to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
- Select Committees are unable to investigate individual cases.