The United States has given a financial assistance of $ 4.1 million to Indian non-governmental organisations engaged in relief and rehabilitation of tsunami-hit people, a senior official said on Thursday.
Indian authorities have 'made it clear to us that they are not requesting bilateral assistance', Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Alan Larson told reporters at the White House during a special briefing on relief and rehabilitation efforts undertaken by the US in Asia.
More than 150 US Agency for International Development personnel, including disaster assistance experts, are on the ground in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Maldives and the Seychelles, conducting assessments of affected areas, a fact sheet released by the government said.
The personnel managed US civilian response, participated in the overall coordination of relief and reconstruction activities, apprised funding requests and recommended appropriate US government relief efforts, it said.
The United States, through the USAID, has funded debris cleanup and other community rehabilitation projects benefiting more than 344,000 people through cash-for-work projects. It has also provided temporary shelter for more than 165,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India.
USAID has also funded water and sanitation projects benefiting more than 885,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives, it added.
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