BRITISH ASSISTANCE TO PREPARE FOR QUAKES Kathmandu, 28 June: : Great Britain’s DFID will provide British 17 million pound Sterling in the next four years equivalent to Rs. 2 billion for earthquake preparedness, an announcement said. The programme will help build resilience of 4 million people to earthquakes and other disasters. DFID support will also improve preparedness for a national and international emergency response and train 4,000 volunteers across Nepal in search and rescue and first aid. “I have been extremely focused on the earthquake risk in Nepal since my first visit to Nepal as a UK Minister. An earthquake in Kathmandu has all the components of a cataclysmic tragedy. This is a risk that the UK cannot ignore. ”I am very pleased to announce this package of UK funding to improve national disaster management and emergency response capacity and reduce the vulnerability of 4 million people to disasters. This is part of an increased focus on disasters as a new and vital part of DFID’s work. In Nepal and internationally, we should be asking ourselves now what we can do to help Nepal to reduce the risk,” British Minister for International Development Alan Duncan who concluded a three-day Nepal visit Thursday said. nnnn NWA GENERAL CONVENTION IN JUNE Kathmandu, 28 June: Nepal Women Association (NWA), a sister wing of the Nepali Congress, has geared up for holding its third general convention within December 15, this year, RSS reports. Association Chairperson Dr Dila Sangroula gave information about this while making public the decision of the Association's central committee meeting on June 24. The Association has got new energy and spirit after its central committee got a full shape recently, said Sangroula. Strengthening of the organisational structure form village to district, renewal of membership and its distribution and holding of village and district level conventions are the focus points of the Association, it is learnt. nnnn