New Delhi: The US Embassy has said that “USAID/India did not receive or provide funding of $21 million for voter turnout in India” from fiscal years 2014 to 2024, nor has it implemented any voter turnout-related activities in India, the Centre told Rajya Sabha.
The government said this in a written response to a query from CPI(M) MP John Brittas on Thursday, asking the status of the actions taken by it on the “reports suggesting the utilisation of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds” to “increase voter turnout in Indian elections”.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, in his response said, on February 28, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) requested the US Embassy in New Delhi to “urgently furnish details” of expenditure incurred on all USAID-assisted or funded projects in India over the last ten years (other than those being implemented under the seven Partnership Agreements with the government of India).
The MEA also sought a list of NGOs or implementing partners through which such initiatives were executed.
On July 2, the US Embassy shared data that “it said covered USAID funding in India from 2014 to 2024”, including details of implementing partners, objectives, and key accomplishments of each activity undertaken, he said.