The Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, Mehmet Özhaseki noted Saturday that the number of applicants for the "On-Site Transformation Project," which was launched to provide grants and financial support to people who desire to reconstruct their structures in quake-affected areas has reached nearly 200,000.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a family health center in central Kayseri province Özhaseki recalled that during the pair of devastating earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş province, some 14 million people were affected while 850,000 independent units were destroyed.
He noted that the scope of the destruction resulted in almost five medium-sized Anatolian cities being completely obliterated, and they would be rebuilt.
The minister emphasized that it would require around $110 billion to rebuild just the 850,000 structures as he recalled the immediate response of the government and the allocating of ministers to the affected provinces just in the wake of the disaster in the morning of Feb. 6.
Regarding the earthquake-stricken areas, Özhaseki stated that there are no longer any citizens living in tents, while efforts are being made to ensure citizens return to their homes swiftly.
"Only citizens who are located in containers and whom we assisted with rent payments are out there now. Naturally, efforts are being made for them to be returned to their homes as soon as possible. Some 200,000 housing units have been contracted for construction as part of the Urban Transformation Project," he explained.
"We will support them as well, provide them with financial support and grants. The loans will have a 10-year maturity period with a two-year grace period, so they can reclaim their homes. Thank God, we are getting through," Özhaseki said.
He also mentioned the appreciation from foreign mission chiefs who visited, comparing Türkiye's rapid response to disasters within other countries.
To address the housing needs of the affected residents, construction of new residences for the earthquake survivors has commenced in reserve housing areas, away from the earthquake-prone zones, the ministry announced earlier.
Within the scope of the urban transformation project delivered by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, construction and transformation offices were opened last month in five provinces at 22 locations to provide legal and financial counseling to those benefitting from the project.
The government plans to gradually deliver the houses starting this fall and complete the construction of 319,000 houses within the first year after the earthquakes.
