Kerala, Mah ink MoU for tsunami rehabilitation

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 16: Kerala and Maharashtra have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the rehabilitation of tsunami- affected people in the state.

Maharashtra Minister for Cooperation Patanagaro Kadam and Kerala Revenue Minister K P Rajendran inked the MoU last night.

The Maharashtra Government would provide Rs 12 crore for rehabilitation of the tsunami-affected people in Kollam District.

Of this, Rs nine crore would be spent on construction of 250 houses at Alappad which was ravaged by the killer waves in 2004.

The remaining amount would be used for building a block at the Taluk Hospital at Karunagappally.

After signing the MoU, Mr Kadam said the relief package was aimed at providing better living conditions for the tsunami victims in the region.

A Mumbai-based company would be constructing the houses.

Maharashtra would be monitoring the progress of the work, he said.

Mr Rajendran said more than 3,500 houses were rebuilt under the rehabilitation programme and possession handed over to the victims.

State Civil Supplies Minister C Diwakaran and officials from both the states were present.

UNI