Gen Nadeem lays foundation stone of PPAF-funded health, education facilities

ISLAMABAD—Lt. Gen Nadeem Ahmad, Deputy Chairman, Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), performedthe groundbreaking o*f Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) funded basic health unit and two high schools (one each for boys and girls) in quake-hit areas of the NWFP and AJK on Thursday.
According to a statement of PPAF, Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed also laid the foundation stone of a basic health unit (Kathai) and a Government Boys High School (Chattar Plain) in District Mansehra as well as Government Girls High School (Saran) in District Muzaffarabad (AJK).
The Deputy Chairman ERRA was accompanied by Peter Bodde, U.S. Charge d’ Affairs and Kamal Hyat CEO PPAF.
Also present on this occasion were Nazim Riaz (Representative of Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy-CECP), Rizwan Shah (Deloitte), Hassan Kamal (Pfizer) and Aziz Rahman (Citibank).
After the devastating earthquake, CECP selected Pakistan PovertyAlleviation Fund (PPAF) for financial assistance of US $12 million for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 14 health and education facilities in quake-affected areas on Build Operate and Transfer (BoT) basis. The programme, supported by leading corporates of US, encompassesprovision of services for identification, planning, designing, construction, refurbishing and one year operation of health and education facilities in the quake-hit areas.
The PPAF has engaged its partner organization i.e Mountain and Glacier Protection Organization (MGPO) to complete this project. After one year of initial operation, the facilities will be handed over to the line departments for long term operation.
The PPAF has previously funded MGPO a grant of Rs. 89.04 million (US $ 1.5 million) for reconstruction, refurbishment and a one year operational cost for the two high schools and one rural health facility at Chakoti area (AJK) near the Line of Control. These were the first permanent structures of health and educationalfacilities to be completed in the earthquake-hit areas under the World Bank funding in a record time of six months.—Online