National
Kutch rehabilitation process 'satisfactory', says Modi
By Our Special Correspondent
GANDHINAGAR, JAN. 20. The Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, has claimed progress in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the quake-hit people of the State in view of the magnitude of the task and said his administration had converted the calamity into an opportunity to rebuild a better Kutch.
Talking to the newspersons here today on the Government performance in the last one year in meeting the situation caused by the January 26 quake, Mr. Modi sought to dispel the notion that the voluntary organisations and outside agencies had contributed much in the reconstruction efforts. Even while thanking the NGOs for whatever help they had rendered, he said more than 98 per cent of the rebuilding activities were being carried out directly by the State through the ``owner- driven'' conception while the NGO contribution was only about two per cent.
Out of the 11.61-lakh houses affected, the Government had reconstructed or repaired about eight lakh houses in which the total contribution of the NGOs was only 6,766 houses while another 37,000 were being constructed in partnership between the Government and the NGOs.
The reconstruction of houses in the worst-affected Kutch, Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar and Rapar, was delayed to give time to the administration for proper plans for model development of the towns. The Industries Minister, Suresh Mehta, who is in- charge of the Kutch affairs, had claimed that the development plans were almost ready and the first phase of allocation of plots in Bhuj would begin from January 26, the first anniversary day.
Maintaining that the pace of progress in the rehabilitation activities was better than in the Latur earthquake or even in Mexico, Turkey and Japan, Mr. Modi said the Government could claim credit for its success in preventing any outbreak of epidemics or breakdown of the law and order situation which was common after a calamity. It was also creditable that the educational activities was resumed after minimum breaks.
He agreed that grievances prevailed among a section of the affected over the Government's performance in providing relief and rehabilitation. Claiming that the Government was giving due consideration to the people's grievances, he said Gujarat was the only State to set up an ombudsman for the redressal of grievances and through the cooperation of the Gujarat High Court had already solved 97 per cent of the 37,000 complaints received.
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