NEW DELHI: India has offered Rs. 112.45 crores in assistance to Pakistan for relief and rehabilitation of the October 8 earthquake victims.

The External Affairs Ministry spokesman announced on Thursday that Minister of State for Statistics Oscar Fernandes made the offer at a conference organised by the United Nations Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva on Wednesday.

This is the largest-ever monetary assistance announced by India for Pakistan since independence, official sources said after the announcement.

In dollar terms, the assistance pledged is $25 million or Rs. 149.44 crores in Pakistani rupees.

``The Government of Pakistan would be welcome to use this contribution for rebuilding houses and rehabilitating people, reconstructing the infrastructure and restoring essential services. It may also procure supplies of building material such as cement, steel and other items from India,'' he said.

Indian technology for prefabricated quake resistant shelters would also be made available to Islamabad.

In his Geneva speech, Mr. Fernandes said the scale of the tragedy made it incumbent on the international community to pool its resources to assist Pakistan in its relief and rehabilitation efforts.

``As a member of the international community and, more significantly, as a neighbour, India recognises its special responsibility to contribute to this global effort to extend its support and aid to Pakistan in its hour of need,'' he said.

Pointing out that India earmarked Rs. 600 crores ($140 million) for relief and assistance of victims on its own side, Mr. Fernandes claimed that New Delhi had spared no effort in reaching aid to quake victims.

Referring to the fact that more than 50,000 persons had lost their lives in Pakistan, he said: ``Despite our own problems we came forward immediately to send relief material to quake victims in Pakistan ...''

Apart from the despatch of relief, Mr. Fernandes said India had also offered to send medical teams to the affected areas across the Line of Control (LoC).

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