NWFP grants subsistence allowance to quake victims
Bureau Report
PESHAWAR—After the approval of World Bank’s $400 million loan for NWFP
the provincial government has decided to fix Rs.3000 monthly allowance
for each earthquake-affected family in the province. The decision was
taken in the meeting of provincial cabinet which met un here Tuesday
with Chief Minister Akram Khan Durani in the chair.
The chief minister also informed the Cabinet that the government has a
three-year plan for the rehabilitation of the quake-hit areas that would
be launched in collaboration with the World Bank. The World Bank has
approved $400 million loan for the province and the provincial
government has decided to give away an allowance of Rs 3000 to each
earthquake-affected family in the province, Durani informed the cabinet.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will also offer $330 million package
including $80 million aid and $220 million soft loan, the cabinet was
further told. The cabinet also decided to setup 10 mobile teams to
monitor tent settlements of the quake affectees within and outside
affected areas.
UNHCR and Regional Relief Commissionarate officials would also be part
of these teams. Eight teams will monitor District Mansehra, while one
each will operate in Abbotabad and Buttgram. The cabinet also approved
amendments in the Forest Development Corporation Bill.
The NWFP cabinet was Tuesday informed that a total of Rs. 8.15 billion
has so far been distributed among earthquake affectees in the province.
The provincial cabinet met here with Chief Minister, Akram Khan Durrani
in chair, informed Provincial Minister for Information, Asif Iqbal
Daudzai and Provincial Minister for Health, Inayatullah while briefing
newsmen on cabinet meeting.
The meeting decided that detail report about relief and rehabilitation
process would be presented to cabinet on fortnight basis. Provincial
Information Minister informed that during the meeting all the District
Coordination Officers (DCOs) in the quake hit districts were directed to
provide details of inhabitants of affected houses.
The DCOs, he continued, were also directed to provide details of
mosques, madaris and schools in the affected areas so that final shape
could be given to amount to be paid for reconstruction of these
institutions. The Provincial Ministers said government has chalked out a
comprehensive plan for provision of food free of cost to earthquake
affectees for three months. On this programme, they continued,
government would spent Rs. 280 million.
The government, they continued, would set up fair price shops in
earthquake hit areas at union council level where food would be
distributed by World Food Programme. Apart from this, utility stores
would also be set up at union council level with the assistance of
federal government.
Asif Iqbal said about 450 tent villages have been set up in quake
affected areas in NWFP out of which 22 were established by Army and 427
by local and international NGOs. The provincial cabinet also approved
amendments in Forest Development Corporation Ordinance 1980. The
amendments empowered FDC for receiving arrears of non-transferable
assets of the corporation. |
