Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday told the Lok Sabha that international funding agencies have estimated post-tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction to cost $ 1.213 billion.

"A preliminary damage and needs assessment report prepared by the Asian Development Bank [Get Quote], the United Nations and the World Bank has estimated the overall rehabilitation and reconstruction needs for post-tsunami activities to be $ 1.213 bn in the short and medium term for Andhra Pradesh, Kerala [Images], Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Pondicherry," he said.

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While the needs of Tamil Nadu have been assessed at $ 868.3 mn, those for Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Pondicherry have been estimated at $ 72.6 mn, $ 157.7 mn and $ 114.4 mn, respectively, he said.

Chidambaram said an emergency Tsunami [Images] Reconstruction Project for Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry involving World Bank assistance of about $ 456 million has been recently negotiated.

In addition, the ADB Board has approved a Tsunami Emergency Assistance Project of approximately $ 200 million for Kerala and Tamil Nadu, he said.