USAID row: Finance ministry reveals US agency funded 7 projects worth $750 mn in 2023-24

New Delhi: Amid the raging row over the alleged role of USAID in influencing Indian elections, the latest annual report of the finance ministry has disclosed that the agency funded seven projects worth $750 million in 2023-24.

“Currently, seven projects worth a total budget of $750 million (approx.) are being implemented by USAID in partnership with the Government of India. For the financial year 2023-24, an obligation of a total of $97 million (about `825 crore) has been made by USAID under the seven projects,” ministry’s annual report for 2023-24 said.

The report comes at a time when political controversy erupted in the country earlier this month after the Elon Musk-led US’ department of government efficiency, or DOGE, claimed that it had cancelled a $21 million grant to India to boost ‘voter turnout’, and US President Donald Trump also repeatedly claimed that USAID under the previous administration led by Joe Biden allocated $21 million in funding to India for 'voter turnout'.

The department of economic affairs under the Union finance ministry, which is the nodal department for bilateral funding arrangements, has also shared the details of projects funded in 2023-24 in the report. During the year, no funding was made for enhancing voter turnout but to projects related to agriculture and food security programmes; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); renewable energy; disaster management and health.

Besides, the report also said that funds were committed for sustainable forests and climate adaptation programs and energy efficiency technology commercialisation and innovation projects.

The US’ bilateral development assistance to India started in 1951 and it is mainly administered through USAID (US Agency for International Development). Since its commencement, USAID has provided economic assistance of over $17 billion to India in various sectors for over 555 projects.

-

External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said the information put out by the Trump administration was “concerning” and that the government is looking into it. The USAID was allowed in India “in good faith, to do good faith activities”, and suggestions are being made out of America that “there are activities which are in bad faith,” Jaishankar had said.

The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP of indulging in "anti-national work" by spreading "fake news from America" and asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dr Jaishankar would also have to answer why the government was silent when US President Trump and Musk were "insulting" India repeatedly.

Congress general secretary in-charge Jairam Ramesh said, “BJP is a procession of liars and illiterates. The news about $21 million, on which the BJP and their bootlickers were jumping on, turned out to be fake. The $21 million in 2022 was not for 'voter turnout' in India, but for Bangladesh.”