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The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved today (August 19) a supplementary provision of $50 million to replenish the Disaster Relief Fund. Following the approval, the Government has accepted the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee and approved a grant of $50 million to the provincial government of Gansu to provide emergency relief to the mudslide victims there.
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, who is also Chairman of the Advisory Committee, said that mudslide victims in Gansu urgently needed assistance both in cash and in kind to tide over their present difficulties. The Government would deliver the grant to the provincial government of Gansu as soon as possible, together with warm wishes from Hong Kong citizens to victims in Gansu.
Mr Tang also thanked the Finance Committee for conducting a special meeting to examine the application during recess.
A government spokesman said that the Advisory Committee had also set up a fast-track mechanism to respond quickly to applications for providing emergency relief to mudslide victims in Gansu.
The grant is further to a disbursement of $2.44 million made earlier for The Amity Foundation to undertake a relief project in Gansu. It takes the total value of grants for mudslide victims in Gansu to $52.44 million.
In line with the established arrangements for grants made under the Fund, the Advisory Committee will request the recipient government authority to provide information on the disbursement of the grant upon completion of the related relief activities.
Ends/Thursday, August 19, 2010
Issued at HKT 18:16
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