Tk 315m allocated under post-flood rehab plan

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FE Report
The government has allocated Tk 315.50 million under its post-flood rehabilitation programme to ease sufferings of the affected people and boost agricultural production.
An amount of Tk 350 million is also in the pipeline for such purposes.
The Department of Relief and Rehabilitation has also distributed over Tk 112.25 million under cash support, house building grants and relief purposes. Besides, it has distributed 16,015 tonnes of rice.
Some Tk 117 million more has been allocated from the Chief Adviser's relief and welfare fund for the flood-affected as cash support and Tk 38.80 million as house building assistance.
This was disclosed at a press conference at the PID conference room, jointly organised by the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management and Relief and the Ministry of Agriculture Sunday.
Food and Disaster Management Adviser Tapan Chowdhury and Agriculture Adviser CS Karim outlined different measures of the government to ease the miseries of the affected flood-hit people.
"Out of the allocated fund earmarked for post-flood rehabilitation Tk 15.50 million has been set aside for preparation of seed beds and Tk 300 million for agricultural rehabilitation," Agriculture Adviser C M Shafi Sami told the newsmen at the press conference.
He said the government has already prepared seedbeds on 500 acres of high lands for distribution to the small and marginal farmers.
"Distribution of the seedlings will be completed by September 10 next," he said.
Besides, necessary directives have already been given to the district and Upazilla agriculture officers for preparing seedbeds on 10 acres of land in every Upazillas under private sector initiative through motivating the farmers, he added.
Speaking on the occasion Food and Disaster Adviser Tapan Chowdhury said the government has extended vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme to another 29 districts from the current month from 12 districts.
"Under the VGF programme 10 kgs of rice will be distributed free of cost to 29,81,500 VGF cardholders every month until December next when Aman crop will be harvested," he said.
He said a total of 1,33,720 tonnes of rice has been allocated to carry out the VGF programme.
Besides, the government has planned to introduce Open Market Sale (OMS) of rice at Tk 19 per kg from September 10 next to stabilise the market, he said.
A total of 118,000 tonnes of rice has been allotted for sale under OMS through 15,440 dealers across the country, Tapan Chowdhury added.
Besides, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) would continue sale of rice, dal, sugar, edible oil and other essentials at fair price, he pointed out.
According to statistics from the Health Department, flood-related death toll rose to 783 until September 2.
A total of 10.65 million people of 2.28 million families have been affected by flood covering 39 districts, 256 upazillas and 2,057 unions across the country.
A total of 65,518 houses were completely damaged by the floods, while 9,19,533 houses were damaged
partially.
Crops on 778,719 acres of land were destroyed completely, while on 778,879 acres partially by the floodwater.
Besides, 3,619 kilometers of roads were damaged completely and 25,104 kilometers partially by the flood, according to the government.
Secretaries of the ministries of Food and Disaster Management and the Ministry of Agriculture were also present at the press conference.