No budget for Khost water department in a decade

KHOST CITY (PAN): No development budget has so far been allocated for the Khost Department of Water Management by the Ministry of Water and Energy over the past 10 years.

Director of Water Management Eng. Mohammad Naseem told Pajhwok Afghan News during an exclusive interview that they applied each year for the development budget.

But the ministry, while refusing to grant budget, says it could monitor project implementation but could not provide funds to the provinces, according to the director.

“We have spent nearly $2 milion (99.52 million afs) over the past two years on the construction of water channels and a karez Team and other organisations,” he added.

Provincial council chief, Daud Shah Makinzoy, said: “As long as Ismail Khan remains the minister of the water and energy, there will be no electricity in Khost.”

He had visited the minister several times, Makinzoy said. Khan only held out promise but did nothing practically, the public representative alleged.

Not allocating development funds for the province was an injustice to the people of Khost, said Anwarullah Mohabbat, a resident of Khost City, the provincial capital.

If the government did not grant the required funds, the department should be abolished, the resident suggested, saying that an office without resources was good for nothing.

Approcahed for comments, the public relations officer at the Ministry of Energy and Water refused to say anything on the issue.

myn/mud

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