Indo-European Commission Economic Relationship

European Commission (EC) has been extending assistance to India from along period. The EC assistance to India is more focused on the areas of environment, public health and education.

The development programme being implemented by the EC in India are as follows:

1. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan:

The District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), implemented is partly implemented with EC assistance. The EC has made a commitment of Euro 200 million to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan being implemented by the Government of India for the development of primary education covering 42 districts in the country. First Tranche of Euro 30 million has already been utilized under the programme. Second Tranche of Euro 24 million has been approved by the EC during. February 2005.

2. Support of Health and Family Welfare Sector Development:

Under the Sector Investment Programme (SIP), EC aims at reforming the health care system in India focusing primary health care services. The SIP is an integral part of the Government of India’s National Family Welfare Programme together with Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) and Safe Motherhood and other schemes.

3. State Partnership Programme:

Under this Programme, the States of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan have been mutually identified by the EC. For this programme EC has committed Euro 160 million.

4. The Eurpean Union (EU)-India Scholarship Programme:

Under this programme, a Financing Agreement for Euro 33 Million has been signed with the EC for EU-India Scholarship Programme, which will be utilized to fund around 1,000 scholarships to pursue higher education (masters courses) in various universities of the EU by the Indian students.