Britain has committed $130 million over next five years to provide primary healthcare and education to the most vulnerable children in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which are among the poorest states and help India achieve some of the Millennium Development Goals.
Announcing the commitment, British Minister for International Development Gareth Thomas said since his country does not have presence in the areas, the money would spent through the United Nations Children's fund in cooperation with the government of India.
However, he said the installment would be released on the basis of assessment of work made by his government and UNICEF in consultation with the Indian government.
Halving global poverty and hunger is one of the key Millennium Development Goals, agreed upon by countries during the UN Summit in 2000. Thomas, who signed the partnership agreement with UNICEF's Deputy Executive Director Toshiyuki Niwa to provide funding to support the agency's work, complemented the efforts being made by the state and Central governments.
The minister said he expects the funding to give a significant boost to health and education programmes for the most vulnerable and socially excluded Indian children. Building on a key partnership with UNICEF, and as a complement to the UN reform process, this will help turn government's commitment into action on the ground, he added.
Meanwhile, UNICEF plans to accelerate interventions such as the Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness programme that aims to vastly improve child survival rates in India.
