Relief and rehabilitation in north mired by lack of funds, red tape
By: S. Somitharan
Relief to IDPs in the north has suffered a setback due to cuts in the budgetary allocation to the government ministry looking after the subject, while the rehabilitation programme is caught up in red tape due to the plethora of government agencies, non-governmental organisations and international bodies involved.
Sources from the ministry of rehabilitation told the Northeastern Herald the Rs.31 million cut by the treasury from the allocation to the department of essential services, which is now a part of the rehabilitation ministry though it initially functioned under the president, was a setback to carrying out the services for which the department was established.
Among the functions of the department is giving relief supplies to IDPs still living in welfare camps. The department not only looks after the north, but the east as well.
The cutback imposed by the treasury was part of the routine 10% cut on budgetary allocations to all ministries by the treasury due to the financial constraints experienced last year, said sources.
Meanwhile, there has been general dissatisfaction expressed by resettling IDPs at the plethora of government agencies working in Jaffna and the command and control structures they are part of.
For instance, the funding of the immediate needs of re-settlers is through a complex chain. The money for immediate needs comes from the World Bank that has instituted a procedure whereby monies for the re-settlers is deposited directly in their bank accounts. It is the prime minister’s office that co-ordinates this operation in Colombo. At the level of the district however, the government agent (GA) is the coordinator, who is assisted by the North East Committee on Reconstruction and Development (NECORD). NECORD draws up programmes and projects for resettlement that includes public works as well as for the resettlement of private individuals. Though work is coordinated by the PM’s office in Colombo and the GA in the district, the money from World Bank goes to the Northeast Provincial Council (NEPC) from where it is channelled to NECORD and to then the beneficiaries. However, these bodies only look after the procedural aspects, because the money is paid directly to the beneficiary.
The ministry of rehabilitation meanwhile, has been allocated Rs.225 million for other aspects of rehabilitation in the north (rehabilitation in the east is handled by another ministry). The ministry also administers funds given to members of parliament, which in the north collectively amounts Rs.75 million. The main area of involvement of the ministry is granting compensation for damaged property. According to ministry statistics over 22 million to the general public and around 29 million to government servants have been given as compensation.In this web of government agencies is included the Ministry Assisting Wanni Rehabilitation that works with Muslims displaced from Jaffna and Mannar and living as IDPs in Puttalam.
Meanwhile, re-settlers in Jaffna have complained of tardiness in the grant of funds for immediate needs under the unified assistance scheme reaching them. This amounts to Rs.25, 000 that is part of an Rs.100, 000 grant given by the World Bank to those re-settlers earning less than Rs.1500 per month. According to official statistics, of the 81, 674 who have applied, only 72,181 interviews of prospective re-settlers have been completed. Of these 68,202 are eligible for assistance. But of the 68,202, only 16,683 have been given funds immediate needs so far.
A reason attributed to the delay is that the World Bank is insistent that monies should not fall into wrong hands and the process of interviewing and verifying potential beneficiaries is a laborious and time consuming. What is more, even once eligibility is established monies are not released until beneficiaries open bank accounts into which monies are deposited directly. All this takes time, said sources.
It is reported NECORD officials have expressed reservations about certain families who receive unified assistance for immediate needs, but who bank the money and do nothing about it, stating their children, or others would do the repairs and reconstruction of their homes. This undermines the whole purpose of assistance.
Officials at the Jaffna Kachcheri said however on the condition of anonymity that the delay in paying monies for immediate needs is due to funds from the World Bank not being available on time.
Quelle-tamilaustralian
By: S. Somitharan
Relief to IDPs in the north has suffered a setback due to cuts in the budgetary allocation to the government ministry looking after the subject, while the rehabilitation programme is caught up in red tape due to the plethora of government agencies, non-governmental organisations and international bodies involved.
Sources from the ministry of rehabilitation told the Northeastern Herald the Rs.31 million cut by the treasury from the allocation to the department of essential services, which is now a part of the rehabilitation ministry though it initially functioned under the president, was a setback to carrying out the services for which the department was established.
Among the functions of the department is giving relief supplies to IDPs still living in welfare camps. The department not only looks after the north, but the east as well.
The cutback imposed by the treasury was part of the routine 10% cut on budgetary allocations to all ministries by the treasury due to the financial constraints experienced last year, said sources.
Meanwhile, there has been general dissatisfaction expressed by resettling IDPs at the plethora of government agencies working in Jaffna and the command and control structures they are part of.
For instance, the funding of the immediate needs of re-settlers is through a complex chain. The money for immediate needs comes from the World Bank that has instituted a procedure whereby monies for the re-settlers is deposited directly in their bank accounts. It is the prime minister’s office that co-ordinates this operation in Colombo. At the level of the district however, the government agent (GA) is the coordinator, who is assisted by the North East Committee on Reconstruction and Development (NECORD). NECORD draws up programmes and projects for resettlement that includes public works as well as for the resettlement of private individuals. Though work is coordinated by the PM’s office in Colombo and the GA in the district, the money from World Bank goes to the Northeast Provincial Council (NEPC) from where it is channelled to NECORD and to then the beneficiaries. However, these bodies only look after the procedural aspects, because the money is paid directly to the beneficiary.
The ministry of rehabilitation meanwhile, has been allocated Rs.225 million for other aspects of rehabilitation in the north (rehabilitation in the east is handled by another ministry). The ministry also administers funds given to members of parliament, which in the north collectively amounts Rs.75 million. The main area of involvement of the ministry is granting compensation for damaged property. According to ministry statistics over 22 million to the general public and around 29 million to government servants have been given as compensation.In this web of government agencies is included the Ministry Assisting Wanni Rehabilitation that works with Muslims displaced from Jaffna and Mannar and living as IDPs in Puttalam.
Meanwhile, re-settlers in Jaffna have complained of tardiness in the grant of funds for immediate needs under the unified assistance scheme reaching them. This amounts to Rs.25, 000 that is part of an Rs.100, 000 grant given by the World Bank to those re-settlers earning less than Rs.1500 per month. According to official statistics, of the 81, 674 who have applied, only 72,181 interviews of prospective re-settlers have been completed. Of these 68,202 are eligible for assistance. But of the 68,202, only 16,683 have been given funds immediate needs so far.
A reason attributed to the delay is that the World Bank is insistent that monies should not fall into wrong hands and the process of interviewing and verifying potential beneficiaries is a laborious and time consuming. What is more, even once eligibility is established monies are not released until beneficiaries open bank accounts into which monies are deposited directly. All this takes time, said sources.
It is reported NECORD officials have expressed reservations about certain families who receive unified assistance for immediate needs, but who bank the money and do nothing about it, stating their children, or others would do the repairs and reconstruction of their homes. This undermines the whole purpose of assistance.
Officials at the Jaffna Kachcheri said however on the condition of anonymity that the delay in paying monies for immediate needs is due to funds from the World Bank not being available on time.
Quelle-tamilaustralian
posted by Chandravathanaa @ 6:59 pm
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