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World Bank approves $1 bn for India as social security fund for urban poor, migrants

Giannis

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Great gesture, rich countries should help poor ones. Without the World Bank's generosity, countries like India would collapse.

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The World Bank has approved US $1 billion for India as social security technology fund for country’s urban poor and migrant workers during the coronavirus crisis.

This takes the total commitment from the World Bank towards emergency Covid-19 response in India to US $2 billion. A US $1 billion support was announced last month to support India’s health sector.

The focus will be to enable India to integrate all of its 400-plus social security schemes at a technology level, the bank said.

“The project will be crucial to rebalance social security towards urban poor, as much as rural,” said Junaid Ahmad, country director, World Bank.

“I think PMs ‘Atmanirbhar mission’ is very important in terms of directions and India is not making distinction between life and livelihoods in the aftermath of Covid-19,” he added.

Of the US $1 billion commitment, US $550 million will be financed by a credit from the International Development Association (IDA) - the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm and US $200 million will be a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), with a final maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of five years.

The remaining US $250 million will be made available after June 30, 2020.

“The World Bank said the support in collaboration with the government is aimed at integrating platforms so that people should not have to run around from one place to another to access a myriad of social schemes,” said Shrayana Bhattacharya, senior World Bank official.

Last month, the bank had approved a plan to roll out US $160 billion in emergency aid over 15 months to help countries deal with the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic.

The board of the Washington-based development lender announced the first set of fast-track crisis funding, with an initial $1.9 billion going to projects in 25 countries, and operations moving forward in another 40 nations.

India was the largest beneficiary of the first wave of programmes with a facility for US $1 billion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 20 lakh crore or $266 billion support package for the economy on Tuesday to help mitigate the damage caused by the coronavirus and the lockdown it has triggered.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been announcing the details on the package, equivalent to around 10% of India’s GDP.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...ant-workers/story-hxziIkgLYwsDQkEY6U5agK.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Why does India need financial help?

Thread started answered it in first post...

Without the World Bank's generosity, countries like India would collapse.


I am happy for money given as aid but let's not call it as 'loan' i.e.. world bank should give money to India without expecting it back
 
Hopefully this fund will reach the needy instead of going to pockets of corrupt politicians.
 
Thread started answered it in first post...

Without the World Bank's generosity, countries like India would collapse.


I am happy for money given as aid but let's not call it as 'loan' i.e.. world bank should give money to India without expecting it back

Thread starter tried best to cover the embarrassment.
 
Thread starter tried best to cover the embarrassment.


couple of days back modi announced $266 billion package now with this $1 billion world bank funded India in procuring that $266 billion

So clearly modi is able to achieve this $266 billion target only after world bank helped him -- > this is what liberals, modi haters in this forum will say in near future !
 
The World Bank does not give out any 'aid'.

They merely disburse loans, guarantees, credit and IDA grants. Most of these need to be repaid. India is not eligible for IDA grants. So they are merely getting either a loan or a guarantee, and rich countries get those as well.

No one gives out money for free.

Those thinking that the World Bank does charity either need to lay off the chillum or get an education.
 
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Aid ? :facepalm:

I don't know if posters here are actually unaware of the difference between aid and a loan or are deliberately acting ignorant for obvious reasons.
 
Woohoo, with this and the 20 Lakh Crore it's party time for me.

Let me check how much my bank account has gone up by.
 
Sunil Gavaskar should also open a donation fund to write off India's debt :srt
 
Woohoo, with this and the 20 Lakh Crore it's party time for me.

Let me check how much my bank account has gone up by.

I haven't surrendered my ration card, and Mamta Didi's govt is giving free ration for 6 months. Collected 35 kg rice last month.
 
I think any money transaction starts and ends with Fundraising,Charity and Write-offs for a few Pakistanis :))

I guess they have forgotten other common monetary transactions like Loan which in the rest of the world usually requires paying back Lol
 
[MENTION=93712]MenInG[/MENTION] can we please a have title to better reflect the realities.

The thread starter was a bit too creative with his title. Its not aid. Its loan which needs to be paid back with interest. This is no charity money.
 
I am sure the Hindutuva will throw the money back in the faces of the World Bank

Every country doesnt live on charity bailouts or debt relief.

Most countries have budget deficits which is financed through loans and then paid off.

Though i am not surprised that some of you dont understand the difference.
 
Dont see the word loan in below from WB - maybe am missing something (terminology) - Guess Facility is a loan type?

===

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/p...t-tracks-1-billion-covid-19-support-for-india


WASHINGTON DC, April 2, 2020 — The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a fast-track $1 billion India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project to help India prevent, detect, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen its public health preparedness. This is the largest ever health sector support from the Bank to India.

This new support will cover all states and Union Territories across India and address the needs of infected people, at-risk populations, medical and emergency personnel and service providers, medical and testing facilities, and national and animal health agencies.

The project will immediately enable the Government of India (GOI) to scale-up efforts to limit human-to-human transmission, including reducing local transmission of cases and containing the epidemic from progressing further. In parallel, interventions to strengthen the health system will be rolled out to improve the country’s capacity to respond to the COVID-19 epidemic and be better prepared to respond to emerging disease outbreaks, including transmission between humans and animals.

Procurement of testing kits; setting up of new isolation wards — including turning hospital beds into intensive care unit beds; infection prevention and control; and purchase of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and medicines, particularly in district hospitals and designated infectious disease hospitals will be scaled up under the project.

“The World Bank is working in close partnership with the Government of India to provide urgent and flexible support to the country as it fights the spread of COVID-19,” said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director for India. “This operation is expected to enhance surveillance capacities, strengthen diagnostic systems, and expand the capacity of laboratories. But, COVID-19 is not only a health challenge. It has deep social and economic implications. In parallel, we are working with equal urgency with Government on social protection programs and economic measures that protect the livelihoods of people.”

The project will also enhance the resilience of India’s health system to provide core public health prevention and patient care to better manage COVID-19 and future disease outbreaks. It will help strengthen India’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Program, revamp infectious disease hospitals, district, civil, general and medical college hospitals, and build a network of high containment Biosafety Level 3 laboratories.

Today, about 75 percent of new infectious diseases begin with human-to-animal contact, including HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and SARS. The project will develop capacity and systems to detect existing and emerging zoonoses, support biomedical research on COVID-19 by Indian institutions, and upgrade viral research and diagnostic laboratories for testing and research.

It will also help address potential significant negative externalities in the event of a widespread COVID-19 outbreak, including comprehensive health awareness and behavior change campaigns on hygiene practices, wearing masks, social distancing, and mental health and psychological services for vulnerable communities.

The project is financed from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in the amount of $1 billion, of which $350 million is provided through the World Bank Group’s COVID-19 Fast-Track Facility. It will be managed by the National Health Mission (NHM), the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

World Bank Group COVID-19 Response

The World Bank Group is rolling out a $14 billion fast-track package to strengthen the COVID-19 response in developing countries and shorten the time to recovery. The immediate response includes financing, policy advice and technical assistance to help countries cope with the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. The IFC is providing $8 billion in financing to help private companies affected by the pandemic and preserve jobs. IBRD and IDA are making an initial US$6 billion available for the health-response. As countries need broader support, the World Bank Group will deploy up to $160 billion over 15 months to protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.
 
Every country doesnt live on charity bailouts or debt relief.

Most countries have budget deficits which is financed through loans and then paid off.

Though i am not surprised that some of you dont understand the difference.

Don’t be so pedantic, we in the UK are used to giving aid to developing countries such as India.
 
[MENTION=93712]MenInG[/MENTION]

Definition of Facility in finance- A facility is a formal financial assistance program offered by a lending institution to help a company that requires operating capital. Types of facilities include overdraft services, deferred payment plans, lines of credit, revolving credit, term loans, letters of credit, and swingline loans
 
Every country doesnt live on charity bailouts or debt relief.

Most countries have budget deficits which is financed through loans and then paid off.

Though i am not surprised that some of you dont understand the difference.

If you had any shame, you would have given it back. Its always halal when you do it. And as exports drop in the forthcoming recession, you will have to blame the Indian Muslims much more to hide the Tsunami that is coming.
 
Why do you need a loan if you have so much in reserve. Surely good time to use some of it.
 
Why do you need a loan if you have so much in reserve. Surely good time to use some of it.

Let me not get into finance or business concepts and give you a more fun example.

Have you ever seen Shark Tank or as they call it dragons den in the UK? People have sales and revenue but they still are ready to sell equities and raise capital?

Having reserves doesn’t really mean you don’t need to raise capital.

Again this is a Loan, not a request for handoff or write off. Huge difference
 
Don’t be so pedantic, we in the UK are used to giving aid to developing countries such as India.

We in India openly called UK aid as peanuts and rejected it.

UK gives aid to Ngos and not govt of India.

May be UK should give that money to people living on benefits.
 
Indian keyboard warriors love to project their country as some rich supa powa..... But reality is majority of the world's poor are Indian. I hope Allah makes these people's lives easier

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/salmanravi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@salmanravi</a> for this. 😢😭 <a href="https://t.co/2oexmAygXq">pic.twitter.com/2oexmAygXq</a></p>— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) <a href="https://twitter.com/zoo_bear/status/1260749192583999490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am in Dharavi right now. Close to three thousand migrant workers standing in queue. They say it is difficult to survive a day more in this big city. Starvation is killing them. I have not seen a more disturbing sight in a long time <a href="https://t.co/qwx4LkS5kt">pic.twitter.com/qwx4LkS5kt</a></p>— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) <a href="https://twitter.com/RanaAyyub/status/1260889125730816000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mother and Child. India 2020 <br><br>Incapacitated by lockdown and abandoned by the state, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MigrantWorkers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MigrantWorkers</a> try to reach home.<br> <a href="https://t.co/JrMA12mIpp">pic.twitter.com/JrMA12mIpp</a></p>— Natasha Badhwar (@natashabadhwar) <a href="https://twitter.com/natashabadhwar/status/1260787408930402304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A penniless migrant worker breaks down as he talks on his mobile phone, a photo that should haunt all Indians <a href="https://t.co/urpe6oVPUD">pic.twitter.com/urpe6oVPUD</a></p>— Khogen Singh (@khogensingh1) <a href="https://twitter.com/khogensingh1/status/1259888660272447488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


While thumping your chest chanting mera bharat mahaan, think about these Indians as well
 
Coming on PP made me realise why subcontinent is in the dump it is right now.

Rather than worrying about improving their ownself, it's always enjoyable to worry about others while further sinking yourself.
 
If you had any shame, you would have given it back. Its always halal when you do it. And as exports drop in the forthcoming recession, you will have to blame the Indian Muslims much more to hide the Tsunami that is coming.

We will pay the loan back when it matures.

India hasnt asked for a loan write off.
 
Of the $1 billion commitment, $550 million will be financed by a credit from the International Development Association (IDA) – the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm and $200 million will be a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), with a final maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of five years. The remaining $250 million will be made available after June 30, 2020 and would be on standard IBRD terms.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/p...ndia-protect-poor?cid=SHR_SitesShareFB_EN_EXT

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It's a loan, but why so much argument over it?

India is not a developed country. Even if it was a grant, what's the problem? Yah, you don't want chump change grant of 4M and then use it for propoganda, but couple of billions of cheap loan is surely going to help and it's a substantial amount.

All developing countries are going to be in a huge trouble due to pandemic. Any country holding debt in foreign currency is going to face a hard time because you can't simply print more money to devalue your debt.
 
Of the $1 billion commitment, $550 million will be financed by a credit from the International Development Association (IDA) – the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm and $200 million will be a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), with a final maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of five years. The remaining $250 million will be made available after June 30, 2020 and would be on standard IBRD terms.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/p...ndia-protect-poor?cid=SHR_SitesShareFB_EN_EXT

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It's a loan, but why so much argument over it?

India is not a developed country. Even if it was a grant, what's the problem? Yah, you don't want chump change grant of 4M and then use it for propoganda, but couple of billions of cheap loan is surely going to help and it's a substantial amount.

All developing countries are going to be in a huge trouble due to pandemic. Any country holding debt in foreign currency is going to face a hard time because you can't simply print more money to devalue your debt.

Do world banks give loans out only on Eur Usd GBP JPY? If so why does the world agree to that, coz they can print money anytime then.
 
Do world banks give loans out only on Eur Usd GBP JPY? If so why does the world agree to that, coz they can print money anytime then.

Reserve currency is at advantage when it comes to printing money. World does not have alternative, but if you print too much then there will be consequence of losing the status of reserve currency in future.

USD can be printed without immediate consequences much more than Eur, GBP or JPY due to most trades happening in US dollar.

Debt holders are going to lose a lot here. Inerest rate is 1% or less and stated goal of Fed is to destroy value of currency(USD) by 2% or above.
 
Reserve currency is at advantage when it comes to printing money. World does not have alternative, but if you print too much then there will be consequence of losing the status of reserve currency in future.

USD can be printed without immediate consequences much more than Eur, GBP or JPY due to most trades happening in US dollar.

Debt holders are going to lose a lot here. Inerest rate is 1% or less and stated goal of Fed is to destroy value of currency(USD) by 2% or above.

What disaster honestly ,from what i understand this means these countries always get to be richer, basically instead of America , Germany, Uk , Jp going to worldbank for loan these countries can print the money themselves and have even 200% debt of economy like Japan without consequences but a developing country doing that would crumble.
 
What disaster honestly ,from what i understand this means these countries always get to be richer, basically instead of America , Germany, Uk , Jp going to worldbank for loan these countries can print the money themselves and have even 200% debt of economy like Japan without consequences but a developing country doing that would crumble.

You can not get richer by simply printing money for too long, but yes you are right to some extent. Countries holding debt in their own currnecy have luxury to devalue their currency and print more to pay off debt indeirectly. If you hold debt in foreign currency, you can not do that.

Rich countries have resource to plug the holes created by pandemic. They can't do it totally, but they can do a lot. Most countries don't have that luxury. They reached to that point by being very productive, but it changes with time. UK transferred leadership to US after world war. US power is slowly eroding, but USD is still going to be reserve currency for long time.

Eventually, we may have shift of power and then shift of reserve currency. It will only happen when others take over in producing and innovating. Asian countries will eventually start innovating and then US power will gradually diminish.

History does not repeat but it does rhymes. It may sound unfair to you, but it's reality.
 
You can not get richer by simply printing money for too long, but yes you are right to some extent. Countries holding debt in their own currnecy have luxury to devalue their currency and print more to pay off debt indeirectly. If you hold debt in foreign currency, you can not do that.

Rich countries have resource to plug the holes created by pandemic. They can't do it totally, but they can do a lot. Most countries don't have that luxury. They reached to that point by being very productive, but it changes with time. UK transferred leadership to US after world war. US power is slowly eroding, but USD is still going to be reserve currency for long time.

Eventually, we may have shift of power and then shift of reserve currency. It will only happen when others take over in producing and innovating. Asian countries will eventually start innovating and then US power will gradually diminish.

History does not repeat but it does rhymes. It may sound unfair to you, but it's reality.

Thanks for the detailed explanation!
 
What disaster honestly ,from what i understand this means these countries always get to be richer, basically instead of America , Germany, Uk , Jp going to worldbank for loan these countries can print the money themselves and have even 200% debt of economy like Japan without consequences but a developing country doing that would crumble.

It has consequences, slow growth.

Debt is not the only factor for slow growth of Japan. Aging demography is playing a big part, but too high a debt when compared to economy will create some headwinds. Japan went so high in debt to create inflation, but failed to do so far. If inflation picks up then they can service their debt easily by paying off in devalued currency. If not then this slow growth will continue because a large portion of resource is getting used in serivicing debt.
 
Can you explain this part? didn't understand.

I was simply pointing out how innovation and production dictates who will be the major power in world and also the reserve currency. Transfer of power has happened many times in past and it will continue happening in future as well. It doesn't reapeat exactly, but you can see patterns.

Japan and Germany with their innovation and production would have held a lot more power normally, but world war outcome kept them subdued.
 
Why does India need financial help?

As India has $485 billion in forex reserves it obviously doesn't need $1 billion.

This is more about WB bureaucrats justifying that they should continue to remain employed. The WB simply can't exist by just giving money to countries that can't pay it back, they need to also find countries that can actually pay back what they borrow.
 
As India has $485 billion in forex reserves it obviously doesn't need $1 billion.

This is more about WB bureaucrats justifying that they should continue to remain employed. The WB simply can't exist by just giving money to countries that can't pay it back, they need to also find countries that can actually pay back what they borrow.

So why take this and pay more interest? Or do you believe the Dragon Dens theory another Indian poster compared to?
 
So why take this and pay more interest? Or do you believe the Dragon Dens theory another Indian poster compared to?

Because everything has a rate of return/discount.

All large entities borrow money, even Apple.

"Why Apple is borrowing $7 billion while sitting on a $200 billion cash pile?"
https://markets.businessinsider.com...despite-having-lots-of-cash-2019-9-1028503164

Of course, there is a tax advantage to debt for Apple, which India won't receive. Borrowing money while sitting on a cash pile of $485 B is a form of "working capital management". Maybe the rate to be paid on this borrowing is lower than the rate which India is currently getting on its forex reserves. In that case it is a win-win:
WB bureaucrats get to justify their fat salaries by having a balance sheet that has something other than only deadbeat borrowers.
Indian bureaucrats get to travel to other countries, and may even land lucrative WB jobs.
India gets to borrow money at a rate lower than its reserves are currently earning, so it makes a little on the spread.
The only people losing out are taxpayers of western countries like me, who pay the fat WB salaries and lose a little on the spread.

And I have no idea what the "Dragon's Den" is.
 
Because everything has a rate of return/discount.

All large entities borrow money, even Apple.

"Why Apple is borrowing $7 billion while sitting on a $200 billion cash pile?"
https://markets.businessinsider.com...despite-having-lots-of-cash-2019-9-1028503164

Of course, there is a tax advantage to debt for Apple, which India won't receive. Borrowing money while sitting on a cash pile of $485 B is a form of "working capital management". Maybe the rate to be paid on this borrowing is lower than the rate which India is currently getting on its forex reserves. In that case it is a win-win:
WB bureaucrats get to justify their fat salaries by having a balance sheet that has something other than only deadbeat borrowers.
Indian bureaucrats get to travel to other countries, and may even land lucrative WB jobs.
India gets to borrow money at a rate lower than its reserves are currently earning, so it makes a little on the spread.
The only people losing out are taxpayers of western countries like me, who pay the fat WB salaries and lose a little on the spread.

And I have no idea what the "Dragon's Den" is.

India is not a company, it's taxpayers will pick up the burden of further interest. It's not a first world or even a second world country, it's a 3rd world nation with millions in poverty.

I dont think this was needed but up to the Indians, just wanted to know the reasons, people are clutching at straws.
 
Because everything has a rate of return/discount.

And I have no idea what the "Dragon's Den" is.

He is referring to my post. It’s actually Uk version of the Tv show Shark Tank were these billionaires invest in businesses. Since some attention spans are too short for the whole business/finance/economic mumbo -jumbo I thought it will help with a more mainstream analogy but in that poster’s case clearly that didn’t work either. I take the blame for that.
 
India is not a company, it's taxpayers will pick up the burden of further interest. It's not a first world or even a second world country, it's a 3rd world nation with millions in poverty.

I dont think this was needed but up to the Indians, just wanted to know the reasons, people are clutching at straws.

Just curious, have you ever gone to a bank for a loan?
 
India is not a company, it's taxpayers will pick up the burden of further interest.

Not really. There is an "opportunity cost". Suppose India instead took money out of its forex reserves. It would lose the "opportunity cost" of whatever return the forex reserves was earning. Suppose that was 2.5%.

If WB lends the money to India at a 2% rate, then after considering the "opportunity cost", taking the money is a positive NPV project for India.
 
He is referring to my post. It’s actually Uk version of the Tv show Shark Tank were these billionaires invest in businesses. Since some attention spans are too short for the whole business/finance/economic mumbo -jumbo I thought it will help with a more mainstream analogy but in that poster’s case clearly that didn’t work either. I take the blame for that.

Thanks for the explanation.
 
Any of the other G20 countries getting WB 'aid'?

For your convenience from the article posted. Unless in your part of the world “aid” stands for “loan”.

Of the US $1 billion commitment, US $550 million will be financed by a credit from the International Development Association (IDA) - the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm and US $200 million will be a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), with a final maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of five years.
 
Economic systems dont last forever, and the Fiat currency system won't last forever. It is based in confidence and if there is a jolt to the confidence, it will collapse like a pack of cards. The other thing to bare in mind is that goods and services needed in the future may not be what is holding the economic system together especially if things like climate change take hold. If these recessions turn into depressions, then we also know what that leads to.
 
Economic systems dont last forever, and the Fiat currency system won't last forever. It is based in confidence and if there is a jolt to the confidence, it will collapse like a pack of cards. The other thing to bare in mind is that goods and services needed in the future may not be what is holding the economic system together especially if things like climate change take hold. If these recessions turn into depressions, then we also know what that leads to.

That’s true however most countries have bounced back and it makes it easier for countries that have invested in a culture of education and technology have always bounced back and the ones that separate church and state and have more nationalistic tones than religious ones have even progressed after such collapses.

However doesn’t mean it is a balancing act that just because some economic giants collapse, automatically the ones with no scientific progress suffering from radicalism etc will magically take their place either. Doesn’t work that way.
 
Dont see the word loan in below from WB - maybe am missing something (terminology) - Guess Facility is a loan type?

===

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/p...t-tracks-1-billion-covid-19-support-for-india


WASHINGTON DC, April 2, 2020 — The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a fast-track $1 billion India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project to help India prevent, detect, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen its public health preparedness. This is the largest ever health sector support from the Bank to India.

This new support will cover all states and Union Territories across India and address the needs of infected people, at-risk populations, medical and emergency personnel and service providers, medical and testing facilities, and national and animal health agencies.

The project will immediately enable the Government of India (GOI) to scale-up efforts to limit human-to-human transmission, including reducing local transmission of cases and containing the epidemic from progressing further. In parallel, interventions to strengthen the health system will be rolled out to improve the country’s capacity to respond to the COVID-19 epidemic and be better prepared to respond to emerging disease outbreaks, including transmission between humans and animals.

Procurement of testing kits; setting up of new isolation wards — including turning hospital beds into intensive care unit beds; infection prevention and control; and purchase of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and medicines, particularly in district hospitals and designated infectious disease hospitals will be scaled up under the project.

“The World Bank is working in close partnership with the Government of India to provide urgent and flexible support to the country as it fights the spread of COVID-19,” said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director for India. “This operation is expected to enhance surveillance capacities, strengthen diagnostic systems, and expand the capacity of laboratories. But, COVID-19 is not only a health challenge. It has deep social and economic implications. In parallel, we are working with equal urgency with Government on social protection programs and economic measures that protect the livelihoods of people.”

The project will also enhance the resilience of India’s health system to provide core public health prevention and patient care to better manage COVID-19 and future disease outbreaks. It will help strengthen India’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Program, revamp infectious disease hospitals, district, civil, general and medical college hospitals, and build a network of high containment Biosafety Level 3 laboratories.

Today, about 75 percent of new infectious diseases begin with human-to-animal contact, including HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and SARS. The project will develop capacity and systems to detect existing and emerging zoonoses, support biomedical research on COVID-19 by Indian institutions, and upgrade viral research and diagnostic laboratories for testing and research.

It will also help address potential significant negative externalities in the event of a widespread COVID-19 outbreak, including comprehensive health awareness and behavior change campaigns on hygiene practices, wearing masks, social distancing, and mental health and psychological services for vulnerable communities.

The project is financed from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in the amount of $1 billion, of which $350 million is provided through the World Bank Group’s COVID-19 Fast-Track Facility. It will be managed by the National Health Mission (NHM), the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

World Bank Group COVID-19 Response

The World Bank Group is rolling out a $14 billion fast-track package to strengthen the COVID-19 response in developing countries and shorten the time to recovery. The immediate response includes financing, policy advice and technical assistance to help countries cope with the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. The IFC is providing $8 billion in financing to help private companies affected by the pandemic and preserve jobs. IBRD and IDA are making an initial US$6 billion available for the health-response. As countries need broader support, the World Bank Group will deploy up to $160 billion over 15 months to protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.

Its a loan.


f the $1 billion commitment, $550 million will be financed by a credit from the International Development Association (IDA) – the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm and $200 million will be a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), with a final maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of five years. The remaining $250 million will be made available after June 30, 2020 and would be on standard IBRD terms. The program will be implemented by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.



https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/p...ndia-protect-poor?cid=SHR_SitesShareFB_EN_EXT
 
We in India openly called UK aid as peanuts and rejected it.

UK gives aid to Ngos and not govt of India.

May be UK should give that money to people living on benefits.
Nice of you to reject it - but since you’re not the target audience it’s a bit of a condescending attitude don’t you think. It’s not unique to India aid is normally given to the voluntary sector but please do tell why haven’t you fixed the system so that your NGOs get the funding required from the central government? India shining and all that fairytale stuff surely you have the resources to provide for the needy?
The UK government already gives money to those on benefits, please don’t compare the living standards of the two nations.
 

As this article says, WB lends to China and India in a bid to "remain relevant".

"The risk the World Bank faces is that if it only lends to very poor countries, it might end up not having much of a role to play in the large, fast-growing emerging-market economies," Prasad says. "So the World Bank, in a bid to remain relevant and push its agenda on issues such as climate change and social development, has continued to lend to China."
 
Nice of you to reject it - but since you’re not the target audience it’s a bit of a condescending attitude don’t you think. It’s not unique to India aid is normally given to the voluntary sector but please do tell why haven’t you fixed the system so that your NGOs get the funding required from the central government? India shining and all that fairytale stuff surely you have the resources to provide for the needy?
The UK government already gives money to those on benefits, please don’t compare the living standards of the two nations.

heh? Why Govt is obligated to provide fund for NGOs?

You always learn something new each day i guess.
 
heh? Why Govt is obligated to provide fund for NGOs?

You always learn something new each day i guess.
Who mentioned the word ‘obligated’.
Scroll up to read the rest of our discussion then come and share your opinions otherwise I am not interested in tangential debates.
 
Who mentioned the word ‘obligated’.
Scroll up to read the rest of our discussion then come and share your opinions otherwise I am not interested in tangential debates.

You implied the term obligated.

"It’s not unique to India aid is normally given to the voluntary sector but please do tell why haven’t you fixed the system so that your NGOs get the funding required from the central government?"

If I've misunderstood, explain above.
 
You implied the term obligated.

"It’s not unique to India aid is normally given to the voluntary sector but please do tell why haven’t you fixed the system so that your NGOs get the funding required from the central government?"

If I've misunderstood, explain above.

The below still applies. I have no inclination to spoon feed you or to waste time on your usual diversionary tactic
Scroll up to read the rest of our discussion then come and share your opinions otherwise I am not interested in tangential debates.
 
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