iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), raised concerns on Monday about USAID’s influence not only in Indian elections but also within the country’s healthcare system and social policies.
In a post on the X platform, Sanyal pointed out that USAID effectively ran India’s National Family Health Survey (NFHS) from the 1990s until it was halted two years ago.
Sanyal emphasized that the NFHS is one of the most crucial datasets in India, playing a key role in shaping national health policy. He argued that allowing a foreign agency to manage and design these surveys, as well as direct their analysis, effectively enabled USAID to influence India’s health policy and responses.
The economist also criticized the design of the NFHS questionnaire, particularly noting the discrepancy in the length and focus between the sections for men and women. While the men’s section is only 29 pages long, the women’s section stretches to 94 pages. Sanyal claimed that many of the additional questions were carefully worded to support a narrative of domestic violence against Indian women, describing it as a “sly” attempt to influence public perception.
Sanyal, along with the late Bibek Debroy, had previously pushed back against these concerns, including through public columns. He expressed relief that the Government of India (GoI) had intervened, noting that the latest NFHS is now being conducted independently by the Health Ministry.
In a separate post, Sanyal also highlighted a recent statement from the United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, which revealed the cancellation of several international funding projects, including a $21 million initiative aimed at boosting voter turnout in India. Sanyal questioned the recipients of this funding and criticized USAID, calling it “the biggest scam in human history”.
Sanyal’s remarks reflect growing concerns about foreign influence on India’s policy and governance, extending beyond elections into critical areas like healthcare and social issues.
(Photo courtesy: x.com/sanjeevsanyal)
