Ghalawanji: Direct damage to ministries and public facilities due to terrorism estimated at SYP 1,011 billion

Damascus, SANA. Deputy Prime Minister for Services Affairs, Local Administration Minister Omar Ghalawanji, said that the overall cost of damage caused to ministries and public facilities due to terrorism is estimated at SYP 1,011 billion as of the end of March 2014, while indirect damage is estimated at 3,995 billion.

Chairing a meeting of the Reconstruction Committee on Tuesday, Ghalwanji said that SYP 1.9 billion has been spent so far in 2014 for carrying out emergency projects for reconstruction.

The Committee discussed a number of issues related to the costs of building housing centers for displaced citizens, and allocating funds for reconstruction projects, in addition to allocating SYP 3.091 billion as compensations for a number of provinces.

The Committee tasked the Social Affairs Ministry with preparing a study on orphanages in Aleppo that require urgent help, with Social Affairs Minister Kinda al-Shammat briefing its members on the work of the Higher Committee for Relief which she chairs and the obstacles hindering its work.

The Committee was also briefed on the results of the recent visits of the Director General of the General Company for Building and Construction to Russia and Iran, which aimed at learning about modern construction methods that suit the reconstruction stage in Syria.

H. Sabbagh