India UNDAF 2008-2012 - UNOPS

India UNDAF 2008-2012
Executive Summary
India's economic performance has been impressive in recent years. An increase in the
allocation of resources to the development sector and positive changes in policy and
legislation demonstrate the country's renewed commitment to the achievement of its
ambitious development goals. However, disparities exist across states, groups and
along rural/ urban lines, as do large variations in the attainment of socio-economic
indicators, and many sections of the population remain without access to basic services.
The development challenges call for priority action for enhanced programme
implementation and proactive measures for the inclusion of disadvantaged groups
into the development process.
Against this backdrop, the over-arching objective of the India-United Nations Development
Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2008-2012 - the strategic framework for the
UN in India in its support to the Government's national priorities - is: "Promoting
social, economic and political inclusion for the most disadvantaged, especially
women and girls". The UNDAF is harmonised substantively and in terms of
its time-frame with the country's development plan, the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-
2012). It also provides the basis for the design and content of the UN agencies' country
programmes for the same programme cycle.
The UNDAF formulation process has benefited immensely from the guidance received
from the Planning Commission - the Government of India's focal agency for the UNDAF
process - as well as inputs from other partners in the Government, the donor community,
NGOs and civil society.
The India-UNDAF 2008-2012 builds on the two cross-cutting priorities of the previous
UNDAF based on the 10th Five Year Plan priorities - promoting gender equality
and strengthening decentralization - and also addresses implementation issues, with
particular attention to the inclusion of the voices of the marginalised groups.
1