JAKARTA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Reconstruction and rehabilitation in West Sumatra province has been underway with priority on building houses and fully recovering economy, a senior minister said here Wednesday.

    Indonesian Coordinating Minister for People Welfare and Poverty Alleviation Agung Laksono said that the rebuilding of more than 100,000 damaged houses as an effort to bring back the economy to normal, then it would be continued with rebuilding of infrastructures, such as roads, bridges, health facilities, schools buildings and others.

    "On the first six months the priority is on building houses, after that infrastructures," he told Xinhua at the State Palace.

    The minister said the funds for the reconstruction and rehabilitation would be from the state budget. But, he said it was also open to the international aids.

    According to the National Disaster Management Agency, the government would pay 15 million rupiah (some 1,570 U.S. dollars) for a seriously damaged house, and 10 million rupiah (1,520 U.S. dollars) for moderate damage house and 5 million rupiah (about 560 U.S. dollars) for minor damaged house.

    The reconstruction and rehabilitation programs kicked off on November 1, after the government officially closed emergency relief work in the province on Oct. 31.

    According to the provincial Disaster Management Agency there were 6,554 people still taking shelters after their houses were destroyed by the devastating quake on Sept. 30.