November 10, 2005	Thursday	Shawwal 7, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 9: The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) is preparing a database for implementation of Punjab government’s “Support a Family” programme aimed at rehabilitation of the earthquake survivors.

This was stated by Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi while talking to reporters in a briefing held at the Nadra headquarters on Tuesday.

“Almost 500,000 members of 100,000 calamity-stricken families would benefit in the first phase of the scheme and each family would be provided financial assistance worth Rs6,000 per month for a year,” the chief minister said.

He said priority would be given to widows, orphans, disabled persons and families who lost their bread winners in the disaster.

Mr Elahi said work had been started to give a practical shape to “Support a Family” programme.

He said an autonomous body had started functioning for the implementation of the programme and coordinating relief activities in the province.

Pervaiz Elahi said practical implementation of the project would start in December. He appreciated the services of Nadra, saying that its cooperation would help in the relief and rehabilitation process.

He said a strategy had also been evolved to maintain close contact of donors with the affected families, adding that the former would be able to get the particulars of survivors even through internet.

He said Nadra had also devised a method for supply of relief assistance to the deserving persons.

The Punjab government, he said, had so far spent Rs1.75 billion on relief activities, adding that about 7,000 tents were also being dispatched to the affected areas on daily basis.

He said about 213,000 tents would be sent to the devastated areas by November 30.

During the visit to Nadra headquarters, the chief minister was informed that the authority had already completed 90 per cent work regarding collection of data about the quake-affected people. He was told that this data would greatly help in the identification of deserving persons.

Speaking on the occasion, PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said houses were being constructed for 100 quake-affected families in Alai, while relief activities were being further accelerated.

He said in order to ensure transparency in relief and rehabilitation process, cooperation from independent organizations was also being sought.

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