PHNOM PENH, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The government of Cambodia has planned 199 million U.S. dollars for rehabilitating the infrastructures mainly schools, hospitals, and roads that had sustained damages during the recent floods, Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon, minister of economy and finance, said Tuesday afternoon.
Of the planned budget, 54 million U.S. dollars came from the freeze of 2011’s new development projects, and the other 90 million U.S. dollars was from the state’s budget, he said at the opening of a meeting at the Council for the Development of Cambodia.
Also, negotiations are underway with the Asian Development Bank to secure another 55 million U.S. dollars for post-flood rehabilitation of infrastructures which is expected to start implementation toward the end of 2012.
“The recent floods have clearly been a set-back for many people as well as for the country more generally, we are confident that Cambodia is today a more resilient and capable country and we feel sure that our recovery will be swift as the floodwaters recede,” said the minister. “Our urgent priority is the rehabilitation of the infrastructures after the floods.”
Cambodia has suffered the worst flooding of the last decade since August and 18 cities and provinces have been submerged.
At least 250 people were killed and some 1.5 million people have affected, according to the reports of the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM).
The floods had destroyed 230,000 of rice paddies, or 9 percent of the total rice paddy production this year.
Nearly 3,000 kilometers of gravel roads and some 180 kilometers of national roads have been damaged. Also, more than 1,000 schools and hundreds of health centers and pagodas were inundated.
The NCDM estimated that the floods cost the country 521 million U. S. dollars.
No comments:
Post a Comment