The UK’s Department for International Development, DFID, leads the British Government’s fight against world poverty. One in five people in the world today live in poverty on less than one dollar a day. In an increasingly inter-dependent world, many problems - like conflict, crime, pollution, and diseases such as HIV and AIDS - are caused or made worse by poverty. DFID supports long-term programmes to help tackle the underlying causes of poverty. DFID also responds to emergencies, both natural and man-made.

DFID’s role in India

India is home to a third of world’s poor as 80% of it’s population is living in sheer poverty. Reducing poverty is an essential step for India to provide a secured and prosperous future to its over 1 billion people. DFID believes that without tackling the enormous poverty challenges in India the world will fail to meet the MDGs. For this reason the UK remains firmly committed to its development relationship with India up to the MDG target year of 2015.

The purpose of our India programme is to support the Government of India achieve its poverty reduction targets as set out in its national plan (the Eleventh Five Year Plan) and to help India meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

DFID in India works at both the national level (in support of the Government of India’s centrally-sponsored schemes) and at the state level in Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. DFID India has established Trust Funds with key multilateral partners, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP, UNICEF to support their development activities.

Over the last five years, DFID has provided grant assistance of over £1 billion to India.

DFID India has its head office in New Delhi, and state offices in Bhopal, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. With a strong and committed team of about 100 staff, DFID India has focused on helping find long-term solutions to poverty.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

DFID INDIA
British High Commission
B 28 Tara Crescent
Qutab Institutional Area
New Delhi 110 016
Tel: (91-11) 2652 9123
Fax: (91-11) 2652 9296
Email: a-dhar@dfid.gov.uk
www.dfid.gov.uk