The department noted that $486 million was to be sent to the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening,” including $21 million for voter turnout in India.
The Indian government has not officially responded to the funding withdrawal. India’s Election Commission, responsible for overseeing the country’s 950 million eligible voters, hasn’t put out an official statement yet.
The $486 million also included $22 million for “inclusive and participatory political process” in Moldova.Apart from this, the tweet mentions the cancellation of various other political initiatives for other foreign nations including $29 million to “strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh”, $20 million for “fiscal federalism” in Nepal, and $1.5 million for “voter confidence” in Liberia, among others.
In reaction to the post by DOGE, Indian economist and historian Sanjeev Sanyal took to X and said, “Would love to find out who received the US$21mn spent to improve ‘voter turnout in India’ and the US$29mn to ‘strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh’; not to mention the US$29mn spend to improve ‘fiscal federalism’ in Nepal. USAID is the biggest scam in human history.”
In recent months, DOGE, established by the second Trump administration, has been actively involved in initiatives aimed at streamlining government operations and reducing costs. The department has introduced automation tools, restructured staffing models, and implemented AI-driven solutions to enhance efficiency within US government offices.
These measures have led to debates over potential job reductions and cost-cutting strategies, sparking both support and criticism from government employees and policymakers. The department has also led to significant controversy including legal challenges for potentially unconstitutional actions.
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First Published: Feb 16, 2025 11:22 am IS
