§ 24. Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department is giving to reconstruction and assistance following the earthquake in Gujarat. [152232]
§ Clare ShortMy Department has made an overall allocation of £10 million to support the emergency relief effort without reducing our spending in other parts of India. To date over £8 million of this total allocation has been spent. As well as providing immediate support to the Search and Rescue effort and transporting numerous relief items to the region, funds have been channelled through a number of agencies for the provision of essential relief items such as tents, blankets, medical supplies, food, water and sanitation. We have also established an Emergency Field Office which is working closely with the Indian authorities and operational Agencies to address outstanding needs. In the longer term we have offered advice to the Indian Government on strengthening disaster preparedness arrangements which will include Gujarat.
The Indian Government are presently developing plans for rehabilitation and reconstruction; it is expected that these will be largely funded by the World bank and the Asian Development bank.