The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), a private research organisation, has suggested the Government to operate union based rehabilitation programme in the cyclone-hit areas.

PPRC also suggested to bring changes in the micro-credit delivery modes in the affected areas.

Executive chairman of PPRC Hossain Zillur Rahman at a press conference in his office yesterday said that his organisation had made post-Sidr studies in affected localities from Nov 23 to Nov 27 and again from Dec 13 to Dec 14.

He said his organisation had found the cyclone affected were provided with food, water and clothes after the disaster left them bereft of almost all basic necessities, and all worked together to successfully thwart epidemics. Communications were also restored as soon as possible through concerted efforts of all concerned.

"Now, the next step of economic rehabilitation in the affected areas has to be undertaken t of which micro credit is of the utmost importance," Rahman, an economist, said.

The informal credit sector should be filling the requirements of those needing immediate cash loans, he said.

"Lots of words and promises are going around, but no visible credit providers are at hand," he pointed out.

To prevent exploitation of this crisis by unscrupulous lenders, micro credit provision modes need to be adapted to benefit the local communities, Rahman said.

NGOs may concertedly introduce disbursement of large loans through local cooperatives formed area-wise, starting with the unions as the lowest unit for the purpose, he suggested.

The first phase of relief provision was implemented with districts as the basic unit for planning, formulation of strategies, implementing and controlling the operations, Rahman said.

"This should switch to the bottom of the rung-that is, the union level-to start the second phase of economic rehabilitation in the areas."

Local fishermen and farmers have first to be provided with small but adequate cash loans as the essential step to rehabilitating them, the economist said.