Earthquake-hit Kutch rebuilt in record time

A little over four years after a severe earthquake jolted Gujarat's Kutch district, the state government has constructed a 1,24,000 house township. The rehabilitation project was assisted by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

The achievement is special as, according to a World Bank study, it takes at least 10 years to come out of a calamity of such magnitude.

"We have adopted a unique model for the development of Bhuj, with help from people who lost their houses. Our model was different from those followed in advanced countries for reconstruction," said Pradip Sharma, district collector of Kutch.

Sharma added: "With the help of Rs 220 crore (Rs 2.2 billion) from the ADB and Rs 1,066 crore (Rs 10.66 billion) from the WB, the government of Gujarat undertook a massive programme to reconstruct and restore the essential infrastructure in the Kutch district."

About 40 per cent of the loan is allotted for housing needs and the balance for urban and rural infrastructure, restoration of power supply and livelihood.

Town planning schemes are physical plan oriented, which are prepared mainly in revenue areas. The schemes are prepared in new social condition such as tenants, sub-divided properties, semi-rural atmosphere.

In this reconstruction programme, the WB, ADB and the Gujarat government have launched a unique public private partnership program. In this program, memorandums of understanding have been signed between the government and various NGOs and a lot of the construction work has been done according to requirements of the people.

The rehabilitation package includes immediate restoration of livelihood through distribution of kits, looms to handloom artisans, working capital assistance to artisans, businessman to loan subsidy for self-employment, residents of the region are also happy with the facilities in the modern earth quake resistant houses and the comprehensive aid packages by the government.

"There has been a lot of development work after the earthquake, like building houses, hospitals markets and many others. There is nothing after earthquake and we were hopeless that time. But very soon government took measures and we have also been helped in gaining employment in the state," added Sharma.

According to government estimates, 13,805 people had been killed in the earthquake which hit the state on January 26, 2001.