Earthquake-hit areas: Over 10,000 projects completed by ERRA in AJ&K and KP

The Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) has completed 10,002 projects in earthquake-hit areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). This was informed to ERRA monthly project review meeting held on Monday headed by Acting Deputy Chairman ERRA, Brigadier Abu Bakr Amin Bajwa. The meeting was informed that completion of these projects was worth billions of rupees, which will help improve the quality of life in AJK and KP areas which were hit by devastating earthquake on October 8, 2005.
Bajwa expressed his commitment to complete task assigned by the government and the confidence shown by international community, adding despite ERRA faced serious funds problems but is committed to complete near completion projects, especially educational institutes on priority basis.
"It is unfortunate that Balakot site has not been handed over to ERRA yet and we stand by the people of old Balakot to develop safe housing projects with all civic amenities," he added. The meeting was attended by Director General (DG) State Reconstruction Rehabilitation Authority AJ&K (SERRA), DG Provincial Reconstruction Rehabilitation Authority KP, projects directors, ERRA officials and Nespak representatives.
The meeting was updated about overall completed projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and AJK. DG PERRA Syed Hidayat Jan informed that in KP earthquake affected areas, out of total 6,886 different sectors projects, ERRA completed 4,873 which are now functional.
He said in Abbottabad 930, in Battagram1035, in Kohistan 273, Mansehra 2045, and in Shangla district 590 projects have been completed and been handed over to the relevant departments. Director General State Earthquake Reconstruction Rehabilitation Authority (SERRA) Muhammad Zafar Khan said that in AJK, a total 5129 projects have been completed which included 1251 projects in Bagh, 2864 in Muzaffarbad, 223 in Neelum, 770 Poonch and 21 in Sudhnoti and been handed over to the relevant department for the public benefit.
Giving the details of sector wise completed project, the meeting was informed that in education sector 2,928 projects were completed while in environment sector total 253, governance, 509, health 198, livelihood 1372, transport 177, water and sanitation 4,544 while in other areas total 21 projects were completed.
During the meeting, Acting Director General ERRA donor and sponsor Muhammad Imtiaz apprised the meeting that from Kuwait fund, 26 ongoing educational projects completed in Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which costs Rs 2.3587 billion. He said that 11 educational facilities completed in Muzaffarabad, 13 schools in different categories, four schools in district Bagh while two in Neelum valley and handed over to the relevant authorities.
He said that from Saudi Fund for Development, 16 projects were completed with cost of Rs 960 million including 11 educational and health projects in Mansehra, three in Abbottabad and two in Shangla. He added that Rs 622 million from Islamic Development Bank was spent on 11 projects which included basic health units, schools and roads.