US Senator questions US' aid to India

[INDIAN SOLDIER]

US Senator questions US' aid to India

WASHINGTON: Arguing that borrowing from countries which receive aid from the US is dangerous, a Republican Senator questioned the decision of the Obama Administration to give financial assistance to nations like India that has bought $39.8 billion of American debt bonds.

"Borrowing money from countries who receive our aid is dangerous for both the donor and recipient. If countries can afford to buy US debt, they can afford to fund their own assistance programmes," Tom Coburn said in his report 'Back in Black: A deficit Reduction Plan', unveiling the most ambitious plan yet to break the debt ceiling stalemate.

In his 621-page report, Coburn referred to a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) which revealed that the federal government gave $1.4 billion in foreign aid to 16 countries, including India and China, to whom the US owes $10 billion each.

According to the US Treasury Department, the largest holder of US debt is China, owning $1.1 trillion Treasury bonds and having received $27.2 million in foreign aid in FY2010. "Brazil held $193.5 billion in Treasury securities and received $25 million in foreign aid, Russia had $127.8 billion and received $71.5 million, and India held $39.8 billion and received $126.6 million from the US," the Senator said.

In a letter to Coburn on May 13, the CRS said India in 2010 received $126.6 million - this includes $2.5 million for counter-terrorism, $700,000 for combating weapons of mass destruction, $30 million for fighting HIV/AIDS, $22 million for family planning, $19 million for maternal and child health and $13.7 million for fighting tuberculosis.

 

[REEVER]

the aid should go to Africa.

 

[T90TankGuy]

the aid coming in is insignificant when compared to the actual requirements . but i do believe that India should just say no thanks as we did to UK aid .

 

[Alugar]

the aid coming in is insignificant when compared to the actual requirements . but i do believe that India should just say no thanks as we did to UK aid .

I dnt think its right choice

Why this attitude when we still have lot of poor people in our country if some one trying to help them so we should thank them and not start to show them fake attitude ....(this is what i thought)

 

[T90TankGuy]

I dnt think its right choice

Why this attitude when we still have lot of poor people in our country if some one trying to help them so we should thank them and not start to show them fake attitude ....(this is what i thought)

is int it better we tell them we do not need the money before they stop the aid to us ? also look up what the government spends on these projects . its a lot higher . do you know how much is $ 127 mil? just a little over 500 cr . not much mate when you see the larger picture.

 

[akinkhoo]

US is just running out of money. They are trying to X everything now.

 

[Splurgenxs]

Yea good question by the senator indeed

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

I'm against receiving aid;especially since we have so much corrupt officials/citizens/politicians!
America(If it truly wants to help Indian poor/needy) should not provide assistance to the people of the country via the GoI,but instead it should give them to NGO's that work far more efficiently and have better motivation to help the needy!
I think that most of this amount lies in the deep pockets of corrupt officials and politicians,so no use of providing assistance if they cannot monitor where the amount actually goes!If the money is re-routed to someone's personal account then it is the needy and to a certain extent,the American Exchequer who suffers!

 

[pmukherjee]

I dnt think its right choice

Why this attitude when we still have lot of poor people in our country if some one trying to help them so we should thank them and not start to show them fake attitude ....(this is what i thought)

126.6 million USD is hardly going to rid us of our poverty. It is hardly a meaningful amount. OTOH, it is not really meant to be meaningful, foreign aid is more about buying influence in the recipient nation. Not that 126 million USD can buy much influence, however, if we can do without it, we should say no thanks. That way, it is easier for us to say no when we should be saying no.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

126.6 million USD is hardly going to rid us of our poverty. It is hardly a meaningful amount. OTOH, it is not really meant to be meaningful, foreign aid is more about buying influence in the recipient nation. Not that 126 million USD can buy much influence, however, if we can do without it, we should say no thanks. That way, it is easier for us to say no when we should be saying no.

i wouldn't be so ungrateful ,but yeah foreign aid contributes to 0.4% of our development budget.

 

[Tshering22]

Just redirect that money to Africa. They need it more than we do.

 

[ashokdeiva]

is int it better we tell them we do not need the money before they stop the aid to us ? also look up what the government spends on these projects . its a lot higher . do you know how much is $ 127 mil? just a little over 500 cr . not much mate when you see the larger picture.

what you say as 500 cr does not look a small amount, our Governemnt might need more money to combat HIV, family planning, etc, etc, but this 500 cr adds to the need and helps the Government, the wealthy in India are not contibuting to the nations poor fully, they need to come forward on donations in improving the nations poor and uneducated

 

[Kazhugu]

i think we should say no thank you to any govt-govt aid....but aid coming in from philanthropists like bill gates that directly reach the poor may be allowed...

 

[truth is here]

india lobby usually pays americans sentors money so that they can bring in news bills that call for more aid money for india

 

[illuzioN]

I think we should continue with this AID because INDIA is on the verge of becoming a superpower soon, and we need you guys help to counter china.... have have a strong presence in your Region and support you with your Interest if you support ours!