By IANS,
Islamabad : The US has released a sum of $193 million as aid for 1.6 million Pakistani families affected by the devastating floods last year, finance ministry officials said.
The fund was given to Pakistan for the Citizen Damage Compensation Plan (CDCP), the Daily Times reported.
The government has already paid Rs.20,000 to each of the flood-affected families and is planning to give another same amount by early July, the officials said.
The total flood compensation programme requires approximately $580 million. The Pakistan government has committed to providing $100 million, while $480 million would be provided by donor countries and organisations.
France, Australia, and Canada are also considering supporting the flood hit people.
The devastating floods that hit Pakistan in July 2010 affected an estimated 20 million people. Nearly 1.7 million houses were damaged in the disaster, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).