The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Friday it would set up a 600-million-dollar fund to deliver prompt emergency funding to Asian countries hit by the Indian Ocean tsunamis in December.

　　The Asian Tsunami Fund will deliver grants for emergency technical assistance and investment projects to support reconstruction and rehabilitation in India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand, the ADB said.

　　It will also accept and distribute contributions from bilateral, multilateral, and individual sources, including companies and foundations, the Philippines-based bank said in a statement.

　　Funding could be granted for public services such as water supply and sanitation, electricity and communications; infrastructure such as roads, railways and ports; health and education services; agriculture and fisheries; housing; restoring livelihoods; and containment of environmental damage.

　　The ADB said it would work with governments to deliver the aid packages and base its contributions on needs assessments that it has has been carrying out with the World Bank, UN and other agencies.

　　The bank will host a high-level meeting here on March 18 to take stock of the recovery and pledges of support, and seek to reach a common understanding on rehabilitation and reconstruction programs over the next four to five years.

　　Ministers from the affected countries, donor nation and senior representatives from the United Nations, the World Bank and other multilateral organizations have been invited to attend.