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It's ridiculous that India continues to be a huge recipient of British foreign aid
India is still receiving nearly £300 million from British taxpayers in aid, despite the country being rich enough to launch its own space programme.
Government departments have shelled out £292.5 million to India in the year 2011/12 most of it, £268.4 million, from the Department for International Development.
The departments annual accounts published this week reveal that despite ministerial promises to end the flow of aid to one of the worlds fastest growing economies, aid was still heading to the subcontinent.
India which boasts the eleventh highest level of national wealth per head - is the second biggest recipient of foreign aid from Britain, second after only Ethiopia, which receives £324.1 million.
Pakistan, which has been linked to terror plots against the west, is the third biggest recipient of British taxpayer aid, receiving
Despite the recession, Britain donated 0.56 per cent of its national income in foreign aid. This was marginally less than the 0.57 per cent shelled out last year.
David Cameron has pledged to keep the promise he made to the UN that the UK would eventually contribute 0.7 per cent of its wealth to foreign aid
DFIDs annual report said that despite its growing economy, India is still home to one third of the worlds people living on less than 80 pence a day.
The department is targeting aid to the three poorest states and has argued that the money goes to improving education, particularly for young girls.
But there has been growing anger from Tory backbenchers over the increase in Britains aid budget, which comes at a time when public services are being slashed in the UK.
Critics have questioned whether pouring in more cash to a country with such huge divides in wealth is money well spent.
Tory MP Philip Davies pointed out that India was spending billions on arming itself and millions on its space programmes, yet still accepting UK help
Mr Davies said: It is completely unacceptable. We cant be in a position when we have no money to be giving it to a rich country like India. They have got to start looking after their own people and spend the money wisely.
Last month, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said the current eight year £1.6 billion aid package to India, which runs until 2015, would be the last.
In April, Indias finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, said he did not even want Britains aid and that it is just a peanut in the booming countrys development expenditure.
India also recently rejected a British-built Typhoon fighter jet as preferred candidate for a £13billion defence deal choosing a French option instead.
And despite pledges of using British taxpayers aid more efficiently, DfiDs payroll has grown by nearly 900 staff, to 1,655, with an average cost of more than £60,000 per head.
Read more: India continues to be huge recipient of British foreign aid | Mail Online
India is still receiving nearly £300 million from British taxpayers in aid, despite the country being rich enough to launch its own space programme.
Government departments have shelled out £292.5 million to India in the year 2011/12 most of it, £268.4 million, from the Department for International Development.
The departments annual accounts published this week reveal that despite ministerial promises to end the flow of aid to one of the worlds fastest growing economies, aid was still heading to the subcontinent.
India which boasts the eleventh highest level of national wealth per head - is the second biggest recipient of foreign aid from Britain, second after only Ethiopia, which receives £324.1 million.
Pakistan, which has been linked to terror plots against the west, is the third biggest recipient of British taxpayer aid, receiving
Despite the recession, Britain donated 0.56 per cent of its national income in foreign aid. This was marginally less than the 0.57 per cent shelled out last year.
David Cameron has pledged to keep the promise he made to the UN that the UK would eventually contribute 0.7 per cent of its wealth to foreign aid
DFIDs annual report said that despite its growing economy, India is still home to one third of the worlds people living on less than 80 pence a day.
The department is targeting aid to the three poorest states and has argued that the money goes to improving education, particularly for young girls.
But there has been growing anger from Tory backbenchers over the increase in Britains aid budget, which comes at a time when public services are being slashed in the UK.
Critics have questioned whether pouring in more cash to a country with such huge divides in wealth is money well spent.
Tory MP Philip Davies pointed out that India was spending billions on arming itself and millions on its space programmes, yet still accepting UK help
Mr Davies said: It is completely unacceptable. We cant be in a position when we have no money to be giving it to a rich country like India. They have got to start looking after their own people and spend the money wisely.
Last month, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said the current eight year £1.6 billion aid package to India, which runs until 2015, would be the last.
In April, Indias finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, said he did not even want Britains aid and that it is just a peanut in the booming countrys development expenditure.
India also recently rejected a British-built Typhoon fighter jet as preferred candidate for a £13billion defence deal choosing a French option instead.
And despite pledges of using British taxpayers aid more efficiently, DfiDs payroll has grown by nearly 900 staff, to 1,655, with an average cost of more than £60,000 per head.
Read more: India continues to be huge recipient of British foreign aid | Mail Online
