Afghanistan's N.S. Programme plans US$70 milion aid project

Ghanzi City, September 17, 2007 (Asia Pulse): Various welfare and reconstruction projects are scheduled to be launched in ten districts of southern Ghazni province in Afghanistan under the National Solidarity Programme (NSP), officials said.

An amount of US$70 million has been allocated for the projects in Zankhan, Andar, Waghaz, Giro, Qarabagh, Aab Band, Moqur, Gilan, Nawa and Ajristan districts.

All the ten districts are the most unstable from security point of view. However, officials believe implementation of the programme will help bring peace and stability and ensure employment for locals.

According to engineer Samiullah Nasiri, one of the organisers of the programme, nearly 5,000 people from those districts would get jobs.

He said villages containing 20 to 300 houses had been included in the programme. Each family will be given 10,000 afghanis (US$201) alongside the launching of welfare projects in their respective areas.

Dr. Muhammad Ghani Bahadari, member of the provincial council from the lawless Andar district, welcomed the launching of the programme.

However, he said implementation of the programme would be difficult in districts like Andar due to the security situation.

Deputy head of the provincial council, Ustad Habib Rahman said the plan would help overcome widespread unemployment in the ten unstable districts.

Ghazni province has 18 districts. Reconstruction projects under the NSP were launched in eight districts three years back. However, there was no plan for the remaining ten districts mainly due to the prevailing security situation there.

Director of rural rehabilitation and development, Ghulam Sanayee Mail said the new scheme would soon be implemented in the last ten districts.

He said regional councils would be formed as the first step. The councils would launch mass awareness programmes to create awareness among people about the benefits of the development projects.