Australia pledged Rs. 1.1 billion (11 million Australian dollars) today for acitivities connected with the resettlement of displaced persons in the north, officials said.

The pledge was made during the visit of Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith where he discussed measures to prevent human smuggling to Australia.

Rs 633 million has been allocated for demining, Rs. 316 million for UN habitat to resettlement and Rs. 211 million for the World Food Programme to provide rations for the displaced.