HC Deb 27 April 1966 vol 727 cc38-40W
Mr. Wall

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will list the major aid programmes or projects in India and Pakistan, respectively, that are being financed by Great Britain.

Mr. Greenwood

The major economic programmes or projects in India and Pakistan which are being assisted by British Government aid are set out below:

INDIA

Loans Total British official financial assistance agreed for India's Third Five Year Plan (April, 1961 to March, 1966) amounted to £85 m. Disbursements in respect of commitments undertaken during this period are continuing.

This total was made up as follows:

Projects £ million
First extension to Durgapur steelworks 22.0
Components and spares for the Heavy Electrical Plant at Bhopal including components for turbo-generators 26.0
Ropeway systems and other equipment for coal mines 4.5
Nahorkatiya Fertilizer Factory 4.5
Security paper mills, Hoshangabad 2.0
Non-project Aid and miscellaneous Projects
General purpose aid 75.0
Kipping loans (i.e. those to be used for the import of spares and components for metal-using industries traditionally looking to British sources of supply) 12.0
Loans for miscellaneous requirements for a number of development projects mostly in the industrial field (but also including e.g. ships and oil drilling rigs) 39.0
Total 185.0

Technical Assistance In addition to the above loans, the cost of Technical Assistance to India in the period January 1961 to December 1965 amounted to £3 million.

PAKISTAN

Loans The total British official financial assistance agreed for Pakistan's Second Five Year Plan (July 1960 to June 1965) amounted to £44 million. Disbursements in respect of com- mitments undertaken during this period are continuing.

This total was made up as follows:

Projects £ million
Jute mill machinery 16.5
Railway wagons and other railway equipment 6.8
Shipping (including a loan of £2.8 million outside the Aid-Pakistan Consortium) 6.4
Sugar mill machinery 2.5
Industrial credit institutions 2.6
Non-project aid and miscellaneous projects 9.2
44.0

Technical Assistance

In addition to the above loans, the cost of Technical Assistance to Pakistan in the period January, 1961 to December 1965 amounted to £3.7 million.

INDUS BASIN DEVELOPMENT FUND

Since 1960 Britain has agreed to contribute grants amounting to £34.8 million towards the cost of the Indus Basin works.