The Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK government will provide Rs 50 crore to the Orissa government to fight mal-nutrition among the women and children in the state.
Since the malnutrition rate is high in Orissa and it will take about 5 years to improve the situation, the proposed funds will be provided over a period of 3 years. The assistance will be subject to approval by the Government of India (GOI).
The agency which is engaged in health, investment promotion, rehabilitation and resettlement (R$R) and livelihood programmes in the state will work more closely with the Orissa government, Sir Richard Stagg, British High Commissioner to India, said here. Stagg said, the performance of Orissa has been excellent and the state has been able to achieve a growth rate which is higher than the national average. Stagg, accompanied by Michael Anderson, Head, DFID India and Sanjay Wadhwani, British Deputy High Commissioner today met the chief minister Naveen Patnaik in the state secretariat.
After the meeting, Anderson said, DFID has a 10 year long relationship with Orissa and this has started paying results.
DFID is supporting the Orissa government in components like single window mechanism, industrial policy resolution, rehabilitation and resettlement policy, displacement and education among others. Stating that the health sector in the state is looking up, Anderson said, the rate of vaccination has improved to 62 percent.
Besides, he pointed out that the move of the state government to go for technical education is very strong. However, poverty remains the greatest challenge for the state. The assistance provided by the funding agency for fiscal reforms has been successful and the state government is able to spend more money than previously.
He said, DFID will be involved in livelihood activities in the western Orissa and economically backward KBK region. Asked whether DFID plans to fund the power distribution sector of the state, Anderson said, “we are looking at a programme to support the state government. However, it will not be any sector specific”.
