The federal government on Saturday signed two separate agreements with the European Commission (EC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) of Rs 760 million (Euro 10.7 million) to undertake a project aimed at 'livelihoods recovery' of as many as 73,000 quake-affected families in NWFP and Azad Kashmir.
The first agreement of Rs 639 million (Euro 9 million) was signed between the EC, Ambassador Ilkka Uusitalo and the UNDP Resident Representative Jan Vandemoortle in which the EC would provide grant for undertaking the project titled "Community-Based Livelihoods Recovery Program For Earthquake Affected Areas of AJK and NWFP."
Under the second agreement, signed between Economic Affair Division Secretary Khalid Saeed and the UNDP Resident Representative, the UN agency would contribute Rs 121 million (Euro 1.7 million) to implement the project.
The UNDP will undertake the program in collaboration with the Economic Affair Division, Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), and the respective governments of AJK and NWFP along with other UN agencies like International Labour Organisation (ILO) and World Food Program (WFP).
Commenting briefly after the signing ceremony, the UNDP representative said that the project has been designed for 73,000 families in the quake-hit areas of NWFP and AJK. The program would contribute to the post-quake reconstruction efforts by strengthening the capacity of local governments, community organisations, local NGOs, and hoped that it would be as successful as was the relief operation.
Giving details, he said the major focus would be on planning, facilitation and implementation of development activities by ensuring effective participation of the affected people in the reconstruction process.
The EC ambassador said that Euro 9 million grant was the part of total Euro 50 million pledged by the Commission for the earthquake-hit areas.
The activities that would be undertaken under the program included carrying out-base-line study, formation of community-based organisation through social mobilisation and capacity building, training of community members for participating in the reconstruction process, provision of high yielding varieties of crops, establishment of seed villages, distribution of poultry units among women and establishment of fish farms and nurseries to revive the livelihood of the local people, he added.
It also included restoration and construction of small dams, water storage tanks, water ponds for animals, hydropower projects, water supply schemes and other need-based micro-infrastructures, the EC ambassador said.