New Delhi (PTI): With a Parliamentary panel finding misutilisation and diversion of Tsunami relief funds, an empowered Group of Ministers (e-GOM) headed by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil has undertaken a review of the Rs 10,000 crore rehabilitation scheme.

Since 2008-09 is the deadline for implementation of the scheme, the e-GoM issued a directive to affected states and Union Territories that the work should be expedited to complete the task within the stipulated time.

Home Ministry sources said the major task included construction of one lakh houses and repair of ports, jetties, roads and bridges.

Tsunami had hit the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry on December 26, 2004 affecting 28 lakh people and causing huge losses of life and property.

The e-GoM meeting, held on Friday, was attended by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Vice Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Gen (Retd) N C Vij.

The meeting came in the backdrop of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament citing audit reports revealing that out of Rs 1,759.05 crore released, Rs 228.58 crore was "either misutilised or diverted" for various purposes due to "financial irregularities".