India cuts Myanmar aid from Rs 400 cr to Rs 250 cr amid political unrest
'This is is due to the slow pace of project implementation owing to the ensuing political turmoil and security situation in Myanmar,' said a senior official
A file image of India before airlifting15 tonnes of vital aid to Myanmar on an IAF C-130J as a catastrophic quake claims 694 lives.
New Delhi, Aug 10: India has reduced its financial support to Myanmar due to the current political turmoil and security situation in the neighbouring country.
Official statistics in possession of The Assam Tribune revealed that the budget allocation under the head ‘Aid to Myanmar’ has come down from Rs 400 crore during BE 2023-24 to Rs 250 at RE stage and to Rs 370 crore during BE 2024-25.
“This downward revision is due to the slow pace of project implementation owing to the ensuing political turmoil and security situation in Myanmar,” a senior government official said.
While acknowledging the challenges posed by the prevailing political and security situation in Myanmar, according to the official, the Ministry of External Affairs is conscious of the importance of ensuring progress on key infrastructure projects like the Kaladan road project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project.
“Ground-level difficulties are being addressed through coordination with various stakeholders involved in implementation of the project and work is continuing in segments where access is available,” the official said.
A Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs in its latest report has also noted that the progress in key connectivity projects like the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport (KMMTT) Project and Trilateral Highway have been adversely impacted.
While the waterway component (Sittwe port) of KMMTT Project is operational from May 2023, the physical progress of the road component of the project is 10 per cent.
Noting that the slow pace of ongoing projects in Myanmar is due to the current political environment, the committee said that the ministry should continue diplomatic engagements with all stakeholders for expeditious and timely progress of the ongoing projects, particularly the KMMTT and India-Myanmar Thailand Trilateral Highway.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs is closely monitoring the developments in Bangladesh and remains engaged with the interim government of the country.
Interestingly, the budgetary allocation under the sub-head ‘Aid to Bangladesh’ has also come down from Rs 200 crore in BE 2023-24 to Rs 120 crore in BE 2024-25.
“The ministry will prioritize and evaluate proposals that are found to be strategically important, and desirable in terms of socioeconomic impact and for generation of goodwill for India,” the official said.
By
A Correspondent