ISLAMABAD: United Kingdom’s (UK) Department for International Development (DFID) has committed to provide £266m in shape of grants to Pakistan during the current fiscal year in areas of education, poverty alleviation, development in Balochistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), as disclosed during the House of Commons Committee’s review meeting. The objective of the meeting was to assess aid effectiveness being provided by the UK to Pakistan over the medium term.
“During the review meeting, the UK delegation pressed upon Islamabad authorities to improve the country’s fiscal situation by mobilising tax revenues and abolishing untargeted subsidies,” said an official source.
“Aid provided by the DFID would gradually increase by up to £446 million by 2014-15,” said Javed Iqbal, secretary of Economic Affairs Division. “The DFID is providing financial assistance to enhance the number of enrolled children in school by up to four million as well as for other areas, including health, poverty alleviation and improved governance.”
DFID has planned to provide £155m to the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) , while another £124m would be provided for conditional cash transfer under the BISP programme under Waseela-e-Taleem programme.
Internews
