It has been argued for decades that long term foreign assistance is unfavorable for the development of the recipient nation. However, there are some countries that have shown positive effects of foreign aid. India can be regarded as this type of country. According to Global Issues Journal (2011), India is one of the biggest recipients of long-term foreign aid in the world and mainly supported by donors, such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom, and international organizations, similar to the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The situation in the country seems to be controversial; there is a well-developed country that shows great economic growth and nation with nearly 30% of population under the poverty level (OECD Statistics, 2010). Despite the poverty still remains as one of the biggest problems in India, there are convinced evidences that show positive contribution of foreign aid to the improvement of the country. Therefore, the paper is aimed to demonstrate the efficiency of foreign assistance to India in the sphere of agriculture, education and medical support, by providing certain examples and some statistics.
It is most appropriate to begin with the improvements in the sphere of education in the country. Association for India’s Development (2007) reported that with the help of American aid, the “Eureka Child”, a special organization that provides education to the poorest villages of the country, was created. Remarkable outcomes, such as the reconstruction of 7300 schools in 5 Indian districts and the implementation of innovative teaching methods, were attained by the organization.
Consequently, 450,000 more children can read now and have an opportunity to be well educated. Before the 1990s educational support was diminutive and generally focused on post-secondary education, but in the period of time between 1992 and 2000s the situation has changed and the focus has transferred to primary education. As a result, Indian government carried out new policies towards educational development with the assistance provided by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and World Bank (Colclough, 2011).
Table below demonstrates the improvements of the Literacy rate for the population aged 7 years and above in the country for the last decades: YearsLiteracy rate, %Male/Female PersonsMaleFemaleGap 198143. 656. 429. 826. 6 199152. 264. 139. 324. 8 200165. 475. 854. 221. 6 201174. 182. 265. 517,3 Source: India Census 2011 The sufficient amount of help was given to the sphere of education but there are some other aspects left to consider such as agriculture. The external assistance for India has been provided since 1950s both financially and technically, and promoted agricultural advancement of the country.
Between 1963 and 1972, for instance, in accordance with the program of the United States Agency for International Development, almost 400 American scientists lectured in agricultural universities of India, while more than 500 teachers from Indian institutions have received training in the United States and other countries (“India Agricultural Trade”, 1995). Help to the agrarian sector in India proceeded in the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s.
The World Bank and its partners supported “agricultural extension, agricultural credit, dairy development, horticulture, seed development, rain-fed fish farms, storage, marketing, and irrigation” (“The growth of urban land in OECD regions”, 2011). In addition, several hundred agricultural research projects, such as Low-input Sustainable Agriculture, finally made technological breakthroughs in Indian agriculture. The purpose of the project is dual – to make agriculture rewarding to the farmers and to make it viable year after the year by increasing the quality of the farm and the soil.
This requires moving away from the Green Revolution paradigm of dependence on chemical fertilizers, pesticides and seeds from the market. In Vidarbha, Tamilnade, Kerala, Uttaranchal and some other districts, the farmers are successfully moving to the methods, which require very small expenditures for external inputs. What is more; these methods rejuvenate the soil at the end of season so that the agriculture would be viable year after the year. Organic agriculture is also successfully used even for the cereal crops as paddy, sugar cane and cotton (Association for India’s Development, 2007).
The long-term support has prospered in the area of agriculture as well as in the sphere of medicine, which will be described below. The current progress is also seen in the sphere of medicine. Towards International Medical Equality organization (2009) reports that medical aid projects have been implemented in India since 1935. The main goals of the organization are to reduce the level of poverty through medical assistance and maintaining responsibility among citizens.
The most successful results were gained through the projects launched by J. English and J.Landmann, students of Australian University of Queensland. The main idea is that well trained group of both volunteer and specialists working together patronize certain village by providing medical care, education and improving the social situation in the village through certain trainings. Therefore, they grow up with the society of the place. The effectiveness of the project is seen on the example of the Manali village in the North part of India, where the community, which has been provided with care, now assists other surrounding villages of Nepalese.
In addition, according to UN AIDS report (2011) with the help of the medical assistance provided by foreigners, there has been a 50% decline in the number of new HIV infections in India in the last 10 years. Consequently, all the facts given above illustrate the effectiveness of foreign aid provided to India. Beginning with the assistance in the sphere of education, the efficiency of aid is seen in accordance with the table above. The numbers demonstrate the raise of literacy rate among the population from 43. 6% up to 74.
1% and the decline of the gap between male and female from 26. 6% to 17. 3% for the last four decades. Agricultural sector of the country has also benefited from foreign support, especially in the areas of agricultural research projects and organic agriculture. Remarkable progress has been illustrated in the medical sphere as well. As a result, there is a 50% decrease in the number of HIV infected people in India. Therefore, the paper has provided certain evidence of the foreign aid being not detrimental, but beneficial for the country’s development.
Reference list: “India Agricultural Trade”. (1995). Library of Congress. USA. Association for India’s Development. (2007). Agriculture. Retrieved November 23, 2011 from http://aidindia. org/main/content/blogsection/42/355/ Association for India’s Development. (2011). Education. Retrieved November 21, 2011 from http://aidindia. org/main/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,393/ Association for India’s Development. (2011). Health. Retrieved November 21, 2011 from http://aidindia. org/main/content/section/49/394/ Colclough, C.(2011).
Challenges for the Optimal Allocation of Educational Aid: Should MDG Priorities be More Prominent? England: University of Cambridge. Global Issues Journal. (2011). Foreign Aid for Development Assistance. Retrieved November 21, 2011 from http://www. globalissues. org/article/35/foreign-aid-development-assistance India Census. (2011). Government of India: Ministry of Home Affairs. Retrieved January 6, 2012 from http://censusindia. gov. in/ OECD Statistics. (2010). Country statistical profiles: India 2010.
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