India to introduce food-for-work programme

Homeless villagers in western India are to help rebuild their earthquake-ravaged region in an extensive food-for-work programme.

Authorities fear a mass exodus from the region if relief measures are not put in place soon.

Free food being distributed to more than 30 million affected people is set to end soon.

PK Lahiri, principal secretary to Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel of Gujaratke, said: "After one more round of free grain distribution, there will be a food-for-work programme.

"For now, the people are dazed since their trauma was so enormous. But we have to start offering whatever community work they want to do."

He did not say when the programme would begin.

The 7.7-magnitute quake is known to have killed more than 17,000 people, and the toll is expected to rise to 30,000, says state Home Minister Haren Pandya.

In the worst affected areas of Bhuj, Anjar and Bhachau, the town centres are flush with relief supplies and tens of thousands of people were being fed in makeshift tent homes.

But in the hinterland, thousands of others waited in desperation for food, clothes and medical relief 11 days after the quake struck.

There are more than 600,000 homeless who lack food, clothing or sanitation.

Food-for-work programmes have been organised in India after a devastating cyclone in 1999, and a severe drought in the western desert state of Rajasthan last summer.