5 more provinces connected to Mining Ministry’s e-system

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) on Thursday warned companies lacking natural resources processing license of closure and announced connecting five provinces with the ministry’s electronic system .

Acting Minister of Mining and Petroleum Enayatullah Momand told reporters here that in line with new code of conduct of the ministry, natural resources processing companies should get their licenses otherwise their activities would be stopped.

In the previous code of conduct, there was no mention of this type of license, but in line with the new code of conduct, the natural resources companies should have processing license.

Momand said for the first time, Sarf Co Company that invested around $2 million in chromite processing had been issued the processing license and asked other companies to obtain the license as well.

The minister also announced five provinces --- Logar, Kandahar, Panjshir, Bamyan and Kapesa --- had been connected with the ministry electronic system, saying the new system would be effective in revenue collection and sharing of information.

Nangarhar, Herat, Balkh and Parwan provinces were connected to the system last year.

WalliullahZadran, policy and programme head at MoMP, said that the European Union would provide 7.6 million Euros for development of the mining ministry to the government of Afghanistan.

The new mining code of conduct was recently approved by the Cabinet, in which it was stressed that mining companies should obtain processing license, a separate office for complaints hearing should be opened and illegal mining should have to be stopped.

Nh/ma