ISLAMABAD, May 28 (APP):President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan while acknowledging the efforts made by State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation (SERRA) in rebuilding earthquake affected areas, said that it has undertaken to reconstruct the lost and destroyed facilities while following highest standards of reconstruction and rehabilitation.
The President made these remarks during a briefing given to him by Secretary SERRA Zahid Abbasi, said a press release issued here.
The President said that after ERRA was established in 2005, SERRA was subsequently established to take up reconstruction programmes at the State level. SERRA, he said, has achieved mammoth success in its noble cause and has set a fine example of reconstruction, rehabilitation, and repatriation, he said.
Secretary SERRA during his briefing informed the President of the on-going projects and also about various issue and challenges faced by the organization which he said were leading to delays.
He informed that 71 per cent of all projects have been completed. He also said that financial arrangements for all pending projects will be made available as soon as possible in order to avoid any further delays in the completion of projects.
The President praised SERRA by saying that numerous projects related to the health sector, construction of educational facilities, road infrastructure and urban development have been completed and now post-earthquake Kashmir has well-equipped education and health facilities along with a modern network of roads.
Zahid Abbasi also presented a pictorial of projects completed by SERRA related to the power sector, schools, health, government buildings, bridges, and also of private homes.
While thanking Zahid Abbasi for the comprehensive presentation, the President emphasized that the AJK government would continue to help SERRA in maximising its potential and addressing its financial issues. He said, despite hurdles, SERRA has worked with finesse and skill.
