05 November Tuesday

Foreign Assistance Was Shameful Then; Today Stretching Hand Is No Problem

Web Desk (TVM)Updated: Thursday Apr 29, 2021

New Delhi : The Centre that scorned at prospect of foreign aid for  Kerala when floods batttered the state,   now has no qualms about accepting  overseas charities in form of donations, vaccine raw material, ventilators, oxygen, concentrates, tankers, medical equipment, mobile  plant etc to help contain raging Covid pandemic. Help is currently arriving  from Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and UAE. Waiting in pipeline is further assistance  from US, France, UK, Germany, Australia, China, New Zealand etc.

In the European Union summit slated 8 May, member nations will discuss India’s covid crisis and decide on the kinds of aid to sent forth and  incidentally, the Minister For Foreign Affairs, S Jaysankar conveyed gratitude for the magnanimity.   Massive aid is streaming in from  the middle-east nations of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait etc.

When floods wrecked havoc three years ago,  the centre  stopped Kerala from accepting foreign aid from countries including UAE and the Foreign Ministry followed-up on that arrogance, releasing a statement that said  there was no need for external aid and thanked the willing-to-help nations.

By contrast, the centre has now published notification clearing all legal hurdles to accepting foreign charity into the PM CARES Fund. Foreign donations including from Chinese companies  have poured  into  PM CARES Fund. Meanwhile, the  Opposition sought for details on the PM CARES to be made public – something the Centre is unwilling at least up to now.


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