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More emergency relief funds approved for Mainland earthquake victims
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    The Government has approved two grants from the Disaster Relief Fund totalling $11 million to two relief agencies to undertake relief projects for earthquake victims on the Mainland.

    These grants are further to a disbursement of $300 million made earlier for the relief headquarters of the Central Government to provide emergency relief to victims affected by the earthquake in Sichuan Province. It takes the total value of grants for earthquake victims on the Mainland to $311 million.

    A spokesman for the Government said today (May 15) that this had been made possible under a fast-track mechanism set up on the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee (DRFAC) for the Government to process applications from relief organisations for grants to provide relief to the earthquake victims more expeditiously.

    "It is hoped that the grants ¡V one of $7.5 million to Hong Kong Red Cross and one of $3.5 million to The Amity Foundation ¡V will help provide relief to earthquake victims in Sichuan Province.

    "To ensure that the money will be used for the designated purposes, the relief agencies have been asked to submit evaluation reports and audited accounts on the use of the grants after the relief projects have been completed," the spokesman said.

    The DRFAC is responsible for advising the Government on the policy and practices regarding the disbursement of funding for disaster relief from the Disaster Relief Fund, which was established in December, 1993, for emergency disaster relief in places outside Hong Kong, as well as advising on specific amounts to specific recipients, and monitoring the use of grants.

    The committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration. Members include Mr Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, Mr Andrew Liao Cheung-sing, Mrs Sophie Leung Lau Yau-fun, Dr Kwok Ka-ki, Mr Michael Lai Kam-cheung, Mr Irving Koo Yee-yin, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury and the Secretary for Labour and Welfare.

Ends/Thursday, May 15, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:00

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