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'Gujarat will rise to the occasion'

A statement by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Ahmedabad on January 29, 2001:

I came to Gujarat today to express my sympathy and solidarity with my sisters and brothers here in the wake of the devastating earthquake that rocked many parts of the state on January 26. This is one of the worst natural calamities in India and the world. The entire nation shares the grief of the people of Gujarat in this hour of suffering, shock and loss on a catastrophic scale.

Today, I visited Bhuj and did an aerial survey of some of the areas worst affected by the earthquake. I also visited some parts of Ahmedabad that bore the brunt of the quake. I have never seen a natural disaster of such fury.

Mother Nature's ways are inscrutable. But it is up to man to overcome the stiffest of challenges with determination and a collective spirit. I have come to echo the sentiment of all the one billion plus Indians that we shall overcome the stupendous challenge of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in Gujarat, just as we have collectively triumphed against countless odds in the past.

I have constituted an Empowered Group of Ministers to constantly monitor the situation m Gujarat and take speedy steps for proper mobilisation and coordination of relief and rehabilitation activities. The group will be headed by Home Minister L K Advani, and include the ministers of defence, finance, food, health, urban development and housing, agriculture, textile, telecom, power and the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission.

This would be in addition to the Crisis Management Group under the cabinet secretary, which has been meeting on a daily basis.

I have asked the Government of Gujarat to set up a separate Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Fund, which would mobilise contributions and donations from India and abroad.

I wish to assure the people of Gujarat that neither funds nor any other kind of assistance will be a constraint in accomplishing speediest possible rehabilitation and reconstruction in the state.

The Government of India has approached the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank for a soft loan of $1.5 billion dollars (about Rs 6,500 crore). Given the magnitude and complexity of the task of rehabilitation and reconstruction, we have decided to remove restrictions on acceptance of foreign technology and assistance. The finance minister has announced several steps to provide financial resources to meet this calamity, including relaxation of the cap on the state government's ways and means account with the RBI.

In addition to these measures, we will provide additional assistance of Rs 500 crore from the Calamity Relief Fund. I am also earmarking another Rs 20 crore from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to further augment the availability of finances. The governments of other states, too, have come forward with assistance of many kinds.

The people of Kutch and other parts of Gujarat are renowned for their industriousness. They are also known for their qualities of mutual help in times of adversity. I am confident that the large community of Gujaratis living in other states of India, as also those who are living in different parts of the world, will launch many philanthropic initiatives.

It is heartening that the country's voluntary organisations have activated relief and rehabilitation efforts in the state. Many international aid organisations have also rushed relief materials and medical personnel to Gujarat. I thank all of them for their humanitarian gesture. It will be our endeavor to effect perfect coordination among all activities of the Central Government, Gujarat Government, NGOs and ordinary citizens, so that available human, financial and material resources are used in the most effective manner.

Tragic though the earthquake has been, it is also an opportunity for renovation and reconstruction. Every such natural disaster is a challenge for us to show our capability to ensure that life after the calamity is better than life before.

Today we take a pledge that Gujarat and India shall rise to the occasion.

The Complete Coverage

OTHER SITES WITH INFORMATION
ON THE GUJARAT EARTHQUAKE:
panjokutch.com
kutchinfo.com
ahmedabad.com

EXTERNAL LINKS
The RD Killer Quake of Jan 26, 2001: Technical details
All about earthquakes in India and their impact
India Meteorological Department's earthquake reports
Disaster relief set-up in India
Major earthquakes across the world in recent times
A post-quake volunteer's unusual tryst with the departed
Earthquake News: Web site offering comprehensive news, information and features
Earthquake site map
USGS: Earthquake Hazards Program

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