Rs.12 billion approved for rebuilding of quake hit areas

ISLAMABAD, Oct 15 (PFP Report): The Federal government has approved Rs.12 billion for execution of rebuilding projects in earthquake affected areas of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) and Khyber-Pakhunkhwa (KPK).

This was announced by Interior Minister Rehman Malik in a meeting which was held to review the ongoing development projects in earthquake hit areas. The meeting was attended by Member National Assembly Marvi Memon, Additional Chief Secretary AJK Tariq Khan, Deputy Chairman Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) Haroon Aslam, Director General State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (SERRA) Liaquat Ali and officials of Tahreek- e- Tameer Nau (TTN) Col. Yaqoob, Raja Wasim, Asif Mustafai,Haji Akbar and others.

The minister informed the meeting that the government had approved an amount of Rs. 12 billion for payment of arrears to the contractors working on the projects of rehabilitation in AJK and Khyber-Pakthunkhwa.

He said that the government would complete all designed and approved schemes of City Development Projects in Muzafarabad, Bagh, Rawalakot and Balakot.

“The recent floods have affected the pace of rehabilitation work in earthquake damaged areas, however, government is determined to complete all rebuilding plans to provide modern facilities to the public”, he further said.

Addressing the meeting MNA Marvi Memon said that every necessary stept would be taken for public benefit.

“The immediate resolution of people’s problems is my priority and I don’t have any personal agenda”, she maintained.

She opined that government should address the rightful demands of citizens of affected areas who are suffering due the delay of reconstruction work.

She hoped that the approved amount would be disbursed within a week to all affected ERRA contractors.

The meeting was held as follow- up of commitments made by the government to fulfil the demands of AJK and KPK citizens who demonstrated last week in Islamabad about the delay of rehabilitation process.

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