Kathmandu, Dec. 14: Gorkhapatra Corporation handed over its contributions of Rs. 687,113 to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund on Wednesday. Executive Chairman of the Corporation Bishnu Prasad Subedi handed over the amount to Minister for Communication and Information Technology Rekha Sharma at the Ministry in Singha Durbar. 

The contributions were deducted from the salaries of the employees of the Corporation working on a permanent basis. The contributions were deposited in the fund on November 28 even before the official hand-over. 

The government had instructed the offices to make contributions to the disaster fund in view of providing financial assistance for housing construction for the victims of the Jajarkot-epicentred earthquake of November 3. 

The 5.7 magnitude earthquake caused widespread devastation in Jajarkot and adjoining Rukum West of Karnali Province killing 153 people. 

Receiving the contributions, Minister Sharma said that the government had announced a Rs. 10 billion fund for building houses for the earthquake victims and there was a plan to complete the construction of temporary huts within this week. 

Radio Nepal had made contributions of Rs. 971,000, Nepal Television Rs. 676,000 and Rastriya Samachar Samiti Rs. 250,000 to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.