Britain funds 250 million pounds for Indian children

London, Jun 13 (UNI) Gareth Thomas, minister for International Development has announced an aid of 250 million pound for the poor in India to reduce the number of death of children below the age of five years.

The funds will also be used to ensure that when mothers give birth, a doctor or nurse is available for medical support.

Groups with high risk of getting infected with AIDS such as commercial sex workers and drugs users will benefit from funds for expanding education programmes that teach them how to protect themselves.

''India has gained a reputation as a major economic superpower.

But we should not forget that one in three Indians survive on less than 50 pence a day. Only one in four children from India's poorest families are immunised against killer diseases as compared to three in four from the richest families,'' Mr Thomas said.

The funds will also be used to improve healthcare for other socially deprived groups such as dalits, indigenous people, and minorities, including Muslims.

Most of the funding will go directly to the states of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

The announcement came after the Department for International Development (DFID) had launched a public debate on how UK aid for India can be better spent.

Britain's aid budget for India is set to increase upto 300 million pounds for 2008 and designed to improve healthcare, get more children into primary schools and reduce poverty in India.

UNI