The Government of India: Grant aids to Quang Ngai within ASEAN framework

Under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework, India has been taking up Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), each valued at US$50,000, in different provinces of Vietnam for development of community infrastructure. With their short gestation period, the QIPs implemented as part of India’s grant-in-aid assistance programme under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) bring direct benefits to communities at the grassroots level.

In 2016, under the India CLMV (Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam) Quick Impact Revolving fund (QIP Fund), four Quick Impact Projects with total amount of US$173,000 were implemented in four provinces of Ha Giang, Dien Bien, Bac Giang and Quang Binh province.

In 2020, during the Virtual Summit between the Prime Ministers of India and Vietnam on 21 December, the Government of India had committed to increase the number of QIPs for Vietnam every year from 5 to 10, in view of the benefits that these small projects bring at the grassroots level with top priorities given to mountainous, remote and rural areas where still face numerous difficulties and especially much focus on areas such as basic educational infrastructure, rural transport, agriculture, rural development, financial management, natural resources management, climate change, etc., greatly contributing to the efforts of socio-economic development and improvement of the living standards of the local communities. Though small in size, these Quick Impact Projects, which are implemented in a short period of time, bring tangible and rapid benefits to the local communities. So far, since 2017, 27 QIPs have been completed in 28 provinces of Vietnam, while 10 new projects are under implementation in 10 provinces.  In addition, 7 grant-in-aid assistance projects for the benefit of the Cham community in Ninh Thuan province were completed in December 2020 with an outlay of around US$ 1.54 million.

In 2021, at an online ceremony held on 27 October, the Embassy of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the People’s Committee of eight provinces of Vietnam including Ha Tinh, Hai Phong, Khanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri and Tuyen Quang for implementing eight Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) in these eight provinces in the fiscal year 2021-2022. The signing ceremony was chaired by H.E. Mr. Pranay Verma, Ambassador of India to Vietnam, and attended by leaders of People’s Committees and relevant Departments of these provinces.

In his remarks at the signing ceremony, Ambassador Pranay Verma noted that the success of the QIP programme in Vietnam signified their utility in bringing quick development at local level. He added that the collaboration between the Embassy and the provincial authorities for the timely implementation of these projects reflected the strength of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam and the collective efforts towards achievement of Sustainable Development Goals by Vietnam.

On April 1st, 2022, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of India to Vietnam Mr.Subhash P. Gubta visited Quang Ngai province. At the People’s Committee of Son Tay district, a meeting was organized between Son Tay People’s Committee district and the Embassy of India regarding the project of “Construction of 02 classrooms for Son Lien Ethnic Minorities Group Primary and Secondary School, Son Lien commune, Son Tay district, Quang Ngai province” which was funded by the Government of India through the Embassy of India to Vietnam. This project has a total investment of VND 1,512,000,000  (equivalent to US$ 65,341), of which the grant assistance from the Government of India is US$ 50,000 (equivalent to VND 1,157,000,000) utilising the QIP funds and the counterpart from the Son Tay district budget is VND 355,000,000  (equivalent to US$ 15,341).

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Subhash P. Gubta expressed his satisfaction with the progress made at the construction site of the project by Son Tay District People's Committee, District Project Management Board and related agencies and units of Quang Ngai province since the project’s approval. He highlighted that the first installment of the project had been timely released. After only 2 months from the date of the disbursement of the first phase, the civil work of the construction of the classrooms had been completed with approximately 70% of the construction contract value. The ending work was expected to be completed in May 2022. After the meeting, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of India to Vietnam Mr.Subhash P. Gubta paid a site visit to the project site in Son Lien commune, Son Tay district, Quang Ngai province.

Da Thao