Contracts for 52 development projects signed

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) on Wednesday signed contracts for 52 development projects, benefitting more than 355,000 people, with village development councils and private companies.

Rural Rehabilitation and Development Minister Eng. Nasir Ahmad Durrani, during a contract-signing ceremony, said the projects included irrigation dams, canals, roads, bridges, culverts, embankments, footpaths and aqueducts.

He said the schemes would be implemented in Paktia, Kabul, Laghman, Logar, Parwan, Samangan, Faryab, Baghlan, Ghor, Kapisa, Kunar, Nangarhar, Ghazni, Sar-i-Pul, Jawzjan and Badakhshan provinces.

The projects are estimated to cost 198.6 million afghanis, provided by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank, with 10 percent contribution from local communities. Such projects were implemented all over the country, Durrani said.

He asked local development councils to implement the projects based on contractual commitments and share project-related information with the local people for transparency.

The projects would create job opportunities for more than 139,000 people and benefit more than 355,000 rural residents, the minister said.

Mamor Bilal, head of a development council in the Azra district of central Logar province, said contracts for road construction, building an embankment and an irrigation dam had been signed for his area.

He added the projects would help local agriculture produce reach the market in a short time and prevent it from decay.

mds/mud