New Delhi, July 31 - There were an estimated 2.3 million people living with HIV in India in 2007, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad informed the Rajya Sabha Friday.

The minister said under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)-3 for the period of 2007 to 2012 about Rs.22.62 billion has been earmarked for carrying out various prevention and care and support programmes.

'It is estimated that 2.3 million (1.8 million-2.9 million) people are living with HIV/AIDS in India in 2007,' he said.

'In order to control the spread of HIV/AIDS, government of India is implementing the National AIDS Control Programme as a 100 percent sponsored scheme,' the health minister said.