The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

The government and various other organisations have completed distribution of relief goods and cash among flood-hit distressed people of 13 unions and a pourasabha in three upazilas of the district, official sources said.

The district administration distributed 153.28 tonnes as GR rice, Taka 1.77 lakh as GR money, Taka 34.74 lakh as house- building grants, including Taka 31 lakh from the Chief Advisor's Fund, 212 cartoon biscuits, 250 cartoon food stuffs, 100 cartoon dates, 50-set water filters, 5,999 packets of food stuffs, 300 cages of milk powder for babies, 5,000 packets of other foodstuffs and goods.

Besides, 66.84 tonnes of GR rice, Taka 1.18 lakh, 1,700 packets of other foodstuffs and many other relief goods were also distributed among flood-hit people in some other unaffected areas in the district during the recent floods.

NGOs like RDRS and BRAC, Red Crescent, 23 other organisations, institutions and persons also distributed relief goods, including 60 tonnes of rice, 18.7 tonnes of puffed rice, 2.89 tonnes of molasses, 300 kgs of flattened rice, 600 kgs of sugar, 7.3 tonnes of pulses, 4.76 tonnes of salt, 10.62 tonnes of potato, huge biscuits, 18,838 packets of oral saline, 16,115 pieces of candles, 13,015 match boxes, Taka 21.55 lakh, 3.7 tonnes of edible oil, 4.6 tonnes of flour, 2,770 pieces of shari and lungis, and other goods.

A total of 1,65,588 people of 39,210 families were affected, one baby died, 359 houses were totally and more 3,258 houses partially damaged, crops on 209 hectares of land were totally and in 8,415 hectares partially damaged, two-km roads were totally and more 156 km partially damaged and 2.5-km flood control embankments were partially damaged during the recent floods in the affected 13 unions and one pourasabha, officials said.

District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Rafiqul Islam today told BSS that besides distribution of relief distributions among flood-hit people, the government launched distribution of 10,375 tonnes of rice worth about Taka 23 crore under the VGF programme among the distressed people throughout the district since last August.

So far, VGF rice in the tune of 2,075 tonnes was distributed every month among 2,07,500 distressed families in last August, September and October. The same will be distributed this month and next December under the programme and every family will get 50 kg rice in five months, he added.

The test relief programme is to be launched very soon for assisting the jobless farm-labourers of the district and the other government departments and organisations including Polli Karmo Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) are providing assistance to distressed people for earning their livelihoods through various rehabilitation activities, he said.