I am very happy today to be able to visit the villages of Ranibandha and Khandiabandha which were seriously affected in the super cyclone which hit coastal Orissa in October 1999. Countless number of people lost their lives and countless houses were damaged. The rehabilitation effort was of a scale which has not been very often seen in the past.

All the different sections of the society were called upon to participate in the mammoth effort of rebuilding the affected areas. The Government, the charitable organizations, international donor agencies and the civil society all were pressed into service in keeping with their resources and their commitment. In this context, many NGOs also put their weight and effort behind the reconstruction effort and I am happy to visit some of the houses which have been constructed with the help of the NGO Rashtriya Swabhiman at Ranibandha village and at Khandiabandha village in Orissa.

I am told that some of these houses are completed whereas others are still on the road to completion. I am also told that some of the beneficiaries have already occupied some of the houses and I am sure that the efforts of Rashtriya Swabhiman and similar other NGOs would be acknowledged by the affected people and who have benefited from the efforts of the civil society. The houses may not be of a very big size but what is more important is the fact that the civil society and NGOs like Rashtriya Swabhiman have come forward, in the time of need to assist the Government in providing relief and rehabilitation to the badly affected persons of this area.

I would like to appreciate the efforts of all those who have contributed to the success of this relief and rehabilitation project under the able leadership of Dr Sahib Singhji with the support of the State Government

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