ISLAMABAD, April 20: The Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority and the National Database Registration Authority on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement the government’s $2 billion livelihood and housing project in earthquake-affected areas.

Under the agreement signed at the Nadra headquarters, the registration authority will provide database to Erra for distribution of compensation amount for construction of damaged houses.

The MoU was signed by Nadra director-general (operations) Bartar Hussain Naqvi and Erra director-general (procurement) Dr Waheed.

Under the MoU, Nadra will also develop a database website on quake survivors.

Erra will pay $2 billion to owners of damaged or totally destroyed houses for rebuilding their houses.

“Owners of totally collapsed houses will get a compensation of Rs175,000 each in instalments and people whose houses were partly damaged will get Rs75,000 each for repair work,” Erra programme management’s Waqas Ahmad said.

He said the project was being executed through grants and loans given by different donor agencies, including the World Bank. “In case of shortage of funds, the government will also contribute to meet the requirement,” he said.

The official said the government had provided the first instalment of Rs25,000 to people for reconstruction and repair of their houses and the remaining amount would be provided in three instalments.

The second instalment of Rs75,000 for a totally razed house and Rs50,000 for a partly damaged house would soon be given under the livelihood and housing programme, he said.

The official said another instalment would be given to affected people after construction of foundations of houses and clearance of the National Engineering Services of Pakistan about the standard of construction work.