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Summary of publication
This report summarises the Australian Government's aid program in Bhutan, India and Maldives for 2012–13.
Australian aid to Bhutan, India and Maldives in 2012–13 continued to provide scholarships, volunteers, public sector training and other support through global aid programs including Australia Awards, Australian Volunteers for International Development and the Public Sector Linkages Program.
Through the bilateral program with Bhutan, Australian Government support for the Royal Institute of Management enabled it to offer in-country post-graduate courses in public administration, management and business administration for the first time. Australia's assistance through the World Food Programme provided meals to more than 36,000 children in Bhutan in 2012.
Australia is phasing out bilateral aid to India in 2013. In 2012–13 Australia supported India's national disaster risk management and planning, and provided training to farmers in climate-resilient agricultural practices to improve productivity and livelihoods. Australia also helped to improve water and sanitation in India, including clean water for more than 20,000 people and sanitation for more than 15,000 people in slums in New Delhi.
In Maldives, Australia's support focused on improving the relevance and usefulness of scholarships and volunteers for the country's development needs. Australia also contributed to the World Bank-managed Climate Change Trust Fund to assist Maldives in developing policies and action plans to prepare for climate variability, and to ensure effective aid coordination. Australia also supported several small-scale activities through the United Nations Development Programme to improve democratic participation in Maldives.