ISLAMABAD, May 10: Switzerland will provide $1.6 million to support private rural housing reconstruction programme of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) in the earthquake affected areas of NWFP.

An agreement to this effect was signed by the Deputy Chairman Erra Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmad and the Swiss Ambassador Markus Peter here on Wednesday.

The amount will be spent during the next two and a half years in Mansehra and Battagram districts.

The agreement on technical cooperation between the government of Pakistan and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is to create a framework for mutual cooperation between the two countries to support Erra’s Private Rural Housing Reconstruction Programme in the Mansehra and Battagram districts of the NWFP.

SDC is already working in Pakistan for the last one year as an institutional partner of Erra in implementation of the rural housing reconstruction programme with training and technical advisory support to the authority.

The SDC’s contribution to the implementation will extend over a period of two and a half years with a budget of up to $1.6 million for direct implementation and $0.75 million for co-financing of partner organizations for providing training in two Union Councils.

So far, over 3,000 master trainers have been trained at SDC’s two human resource centres.

Speaking on the occasion, Swiss Ambassador Markus Peter lauded Erra’s role in reconstruction and rehabilitation of quake affected areas.

He said the Swiss agency had established human resource centres in Mansehra and Battagram and so far over 3000 master trainers have been trained there.

Deputy Chairman Erra Nadeem Ahmad appreciated the support of the people and the Swiss government for the victims of October 8 earthquake.