Purnea, Oct. 18: The UK-based Department for International Development (DFID) will spend over half of the funds earmarked for India in Bihar alone.

DFID country head Sam Sharpe today said his organisation would spend £145 million for the state’s development. The national allocation is £280 million.

At present, a four-member DFID team is conducting surveys in three segments — health, urban development and governance — during its three-day trip to Purnea, which began on October 17.

Sharpe said his organisation would work in the three segments in accordance with an agreement with the state government.

“We will spend around £145 million on Bihar for six years starting from 2010. The money will be utilised for health, nutrition, governance and urban development,” he told The Telegraph today.

The DFID team, led by Sharpe, has inspected various surgical wards, operation theatres, medical stores, blood banks and ANM school at Purnea Sadar Hospital. The team also had a talk with the civil surgeon of the hospital, R.C. Mandal.

For the first time in several years, doctors, nurses and even drivers of ambulances, were in their uniform during the interaction with the DFID delegation.

District magistrate and collector N. Saravana Kumar said: “A team of DFID is working in India for two years.”