HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Local officials in western Herat province say several mining, infrastructure and public-service projects have been completed or are underway in the province’s districts over the past five years, with the announced value exceeding $5.6 billion.
Mufti Yusuf Saeedi, the governor’s spokesman, told a press conference today that, alongside addressing residents’ problems, the authorities had facilitated major economic and development projects in the districts over the past five years.
He said the $2 million Shindand-Pushtkoh road project had been implemented in Shindand district, a building had been constructed at a cost of 19 million afghanis and several check dams had been built.
In Adraskan district, work has begun on the extraction of lead and zinc deposits, which could create jobs and boost economic activity, he said.
Saeedi said work had begun on an iron mine in Ghoryan district, valued at around $5.5 billion. He also cited the continuation of the Rozanak iron project and the establishment of a water-supply network in the district.
He said work was underway on the Todi iron mine in Pashtun Zarghun district, with an investment of around $140 million. In Karkh district, the Pashdan Dam project was among the major development projects, he added.
Saeedi said a new terminal, railway line, houses for earthquake victims, check dams and a township for migrants had been established in Zindajan district.
He added that the Afghan Red Crescent Society had spent 102 million afghanis on assistance for earthquake victims there.
He said road paving, water-supply networks and housing projects for earthquake victims had also been implemented in Gulran district.
A total of 26 million afghanis had been spent on development projects and 15 million afghanis on water-supply and kareez projects, he added.
Regarding Kohsan district, Saeedi said 177 livelihood and development projects worth 300 million afghanis had been implemented at the Islam Qala port, while various facilities had been established to facilitate services for residents and travellers.
He added that development projects had also been implemented in Oba district, including the asphalting of around 30 kilometres of roads.
Saeedi stressed that several major economic and infrastructure projects were still underway in Herat’s districts, saying their completion would help promote economic growth, create jobs and improve residents’ access to services.
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