Rs 300 crores needed for six months
Geneva, July 7 (UPI) – India needs aid amounting to $400 million (Rs 300 crores) over the next six months to take care of the six million refugees who fled East Bengal, United Nations refugee officials said today.
The Government of India has submitted a “shopping list ” to the international community, the officials said.
The list includes 580,000 tons of rice, 420,000 tons of edible oil, 124,000 tons of lentils, tents for four million people, 480 jeeps, 768 trucks, mobile hospitals for 12,000 people and 120 ambulances.
So far, the officials said, the Government has pledged $165 million in bilateral aid to India and $98 million through the UN Refugee organization.
The United States has donated by far the largest amounts $20 million in direct aid to India and $50 million through the United Nations.
The $400 million list of requirements is on top of aid already pledged, the officials said.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 08.07.1971