India offers $25m in quake aid

NEW DELHI—Taking another major step to provide help quake-victims in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, India offered aid worth US $25 million (Rs 112.5 crore approx) to Pakistan, two days ahead of the official-level meeting to discuss opening of Line of Control (LoC) for relief coordination. India’s offer was made at the meeting of UN Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs at Geneva by Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes.
“The government of Pakistan would be welcome to use this contribution for rebuilding homes and rehabilitating people, reconstructing the infrastructure and restoring essential services,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters here Thursday.
Pakistan may also procure supplies of building material such as cement, steel and other items from India, he said, adding Indian technology for pre-fabricated earthquake resistant shelters will also be made available to the government of the neighbouring country.
India has already supplied a large quantity of relief materials to Pakistan through official and private channels. It includes medicines (82 tonnes), blankets (1,04,550), tents (20,620), bedding (35,000), plastic sheets (28 tonnes), biscuits (100 tonnes) and assorted items like pulses, rice, sugar and tea.—Agencies