The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has approved three grants totaling 5.8 million Hong Kong dollars (US$742,000) for emergency relief to flood victims on the mainland.

An allocation of 2 million Hong Kong dollars has been approved for World Vision Hong Kong to help flood victims in Henan Province.

Another grant of 790,000 Hong Kong dollars has been approved for Oxfam Hong Kong to help flood victims in Yunnan and Hunan provinces.

A further grant of 3 million Hong Kong dollars has been approved for Hong Kong Red Cross to help those in Henan, Yunnan, Hunan and Guangxi.

The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee recommended that the HKSAR government approve the grants of the three organizations. The committee expressed the hope that the grants will provide immediate relief to the flood victims.

To ensure that the money will be used for the designated purposes, the committee will ask the three organizations to submit evaluation reports and audited accounts on the use of the grants when the relief projects are complete.

The Disaster Relief Fund was established in December 1993 for use in emergencies outside of Hong Kong. The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee is responsible for advising the HKSAR government on policies and practices regarding the disbursement of funds, recommending specific amounts for specific recipients, and monitoring the use of grants.

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2004)