UK commits Rs 1555 cr for education in India

Britain on Monday announced a support of Rs 1555 crore for the Indian government's Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan over the next four years.

"About 190 million pounds would be given as grant for the project over the next four years to support the SSA in meeting the challenge of educating all children," British Minister for International Development Gareth Thomas told reporters in New Delhi.

He said the programme will help in funding new text books, teachers' training and various other components of the Universal Elementary Education, an ambition which goes beyond the Millennium Development Goal for education.

Thomas, who is visiting India from October 4-7, is meeting Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Minister for Petroleum and Panchayati Raj Mani Shankar Aiyar.

The UK's Department of International Development has four partner states -- Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.

Thomas said while 70 per cent the SSA would be funded by the government of India, DFID would fund one third of the
remainder. The rest would be taken care of by World Bank and European Commission.

He said DFID monitored the programmes it was assisting to ensure that the grant reached the target.

Thomas will formally launch the UK global strategy on HIV and AIDS on Tuesday involving a spend Rs 12,000 crore
to tackle the disease globally over next three years.