Hong Kong government approved two million Hong Kong dollars for emergency relief to Afghan refugees, according to Wednesday's news release of the government.

"The government has accepted the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee and approved a grant of two million HK dollars from the Disaster Relief Fund to World Vision Hong Kong for emergency relief to Afghan refugees", said the release.

The committee hopes that the grant to World Vision Hong Kong can help provide some relief to Afghan refugees, according to the release.

To ensure that the money will be used for the designated purposes, the committee will ask World Vision Hong Kong to submit an evaluation report and audited accounts on the use of the grant after the relief project has been completed.

The Disaster Relief Fund was established in December 1993 for emergency disaster relief in places outside Hong Kong. A Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee is responsible to advise the government on the policy and practices regarding the disbursement of funds for disaster relief, advise on specific amounts to specific recipients, and monitor the use of grants.

( December 6, 2001)