It seems the success of the Manmohan Singh government’s flagship schemes like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) and Indira Awas Yojna (IAY) have been felt not only in the country but abroad too.

A high-level Nigerian delegation met Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister C.P. Joshi in the national capital on Tuesday to learn from the ministry’s experience in implementing some of these schemes.

“The delegation led by Adewale Aribisala, Chairman, House Committee on Millennium Development Goals, Nigeria evinced keen interest in various rural development programs under the ministry,” said a ministry official.

The delegation was especially interested in the funding model of these schemes. They wanted to know how was the government able to fund the schemes and if there were any provision of private participation, said an official.

Joshi shared his ministry’s experience in implementing the schemes and the hurdles it has faced till now. He also agreed to provide all help in replicating the model in Nigeria. 

Its members included Godfrey Gaya,  Abubakar Bunu,  Ganiyu Olukolu, Christina Alaaga,  Joseph Ajatta and Alex Ukam among others. The Indian delegation comprised of senior officials from the ministry. The Nigerian team is on a visit to India as a part of its Millennium Development Goals Study Tour.