ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) has so far disbursed Rs2 billion in the quake-affected areas of NWFP and Azad Jammu Kashmir. In NWFP alone the PPAF has recently disbursed Rs139 million to more than 1,800 earthquake victims in four union councils of Balakot-Garlat, Ghanool, Satbani and Kewai, stated official figures released here on Tuesday.

Additionally the PPAF has approved Rs6.5 million as immediate relief assistance for flood and landslide affected areas of these four union councils.

It may be recalled that earlier the PPAF disbursed relief goods worth Rs300 million in the affected areas of AJK and NWFP. The PPAF is also initiating restoration of 1,200 infrastructure schemes in these areas.

“PPAF through its partner organisations is known to have carried out disciplined damage assessment in 34 UCs allocated to them by the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) for damage assessment, housing compensation, training and community physical infrastructure,” the official announcement said.

It added that the PPAF had completed damage assessment of approximately 110,000 housing units in NWFP and AJK. The PPAF and its partner organizations have completed training of 4,000 house owners in earthquake resistant construction techniques with a target of 20,000 trained individuals by the end of September 2006.