Undp Pledges $200m For Core Sector In 9th Plan
India will receive a $200 million grant from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the Ninth Plan objectives on infrastructure, technology and employment.
The grant, which will come under the first ever country co-operation framework (CCF-1) programme undertaken by UNDP will support 10 development areas under and will include strengthening of legal and regulatory framework.
The CCF-1 is the first ever effort by UNDP to shift from an ad hoc project approach to an integrated programme approach, UNDP official B Bhattacharji said.
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The five year programme (1997-2001), to be monitored by the department of economic affairs in the ministry of finance, aims at complementing the economic reforms process in the country, and will work along with the ninth plan.
Out of the total $198.9 million allotted for the programme, $73 million have already been assigned to the country and the rest would come in the second phase of the five year programme.
A major factor behind India being chosen as the first benefactor of the new fund is that New Delhi is the largest contributor among developing nations to UNDPs core budget, having paid $4.33 million in 1996.
Under the CCF-1 programme, besides the $200 million grant by UNDP, another $20 million would be brought in by the government and other organisations executing the project during the five year period.
The issues under the package include economic reforms, capacity building, technology development, small industry development, food and nutrition security and several cross-cutting issues like employment, information, environment, population and aids.
For each of the sectors, UNDP will seek the expertise of the specialised UN bodies like UN Industrial Development Organisation, Asian and Pacific Centre for transfer of technology and world food programme.
The programme will also be linked to the first regional co-operation programme for Asia and the pacific.
In some areas like education and health, UNDP will work together with the ongoing projects of the World Bank, with the two organisations delegating the responsibilities.
However, the fund from UNDP in these sectors would be cheaper as the country does not have to pay any interest on the amount, sources said.
Though the CCF-1 programme took off with the visit of world-wide administrator of UNDP James Speth in September last year, the implementation phase will start after new resident representative Brenda Mcsweeney assumes office this month, sources said.