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On the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee, the Government has approved a grant of $1.5 million from the Disaster Relief Fund to Mercy Corps Limited for the provision of emergency relief to earthquake victims in Mansehra District, Pakistan.
This is further to a disbursement of $3.5 million in late October for emergency relief to earthquake victims in Pakistan. It takes the total value of grants for South Asia earthquake victims to $5 million.
The committee hopes that the grant helps provide relief to earthquake victims in Pakistan. To ensure that the money will be used for the designated purposes, the committee will ask Mercy Corps Limited to submit an evaluation report and audited accounts on the use of the grant after the relief project has been completed.
The Disaster Relief Fund was established in December 1993 for emergency disaster relief in places outside Hong Kong. The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee is responsible for advising the Government on the policy and practices regarding the disbursement of funds for disaster relief, 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 the Hon Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, the Hon Andrew Liao Cheung-sing, the Hon Mrs Sophie Leung Lau Yau-fun, Dr the Hon 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 Health, Welfare and Food.
Ends/Thursday, November 3, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:39
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