MAZAR-E-SHARIF: A major canal project kicked off in the country’s northern province of Balkh, with senior officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) attending the inaugural meeting, late on last week.
The project, called Qush Tapa Canal, is expected to help thousands of people get employed in three neighboring provinces.
Speaking at the mega project ceremony held in Kaldar district of Balkh province, the country’s First Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said that the completion of the canal project was a priority of the government.
“The country will reach self-sufficiency in agriculture, after the construction of the canal,’ said the deputy prime minister noting that Afghanistan will not beg other countries for help and that a country cannot be developed through aid. The canal has been said to be 280 km long and 100 meters wide and will begin in Kaldar district of Balkh province and cover Jawzjan and Faryab neighbors provinces.
The First Deputy PM added that the project will be take five years-time to complete and the project will be help Afghanistan reach self-sufficiency in agriculture.
Some 60 billion Afghanis has been estimated to cost the first ever biggest water project in the north, and the budget will be provided by the government.
Officials said around 650 cubic meters of water will flow per second in the canal, helping up to 200,000 people to find work.
Also, acting Minister of Information and Culture Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwah who was also one of the participants and speakers of the ceremony, said despite economic problems, the launch of the project in the province indicates that the Islamic Emirate’s all attention is to the nation. “The main aim of the Islamic Emirate is to develop the country and provide facilities for the people in all fields,” said the acting Information and Culture Minister. Attending the ceremony, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate and Deputy to the Ministry of Information and Culture, Zabihullah Mujhaid said the canal was around 280 km long and 100 meters wide and 8.5 meters deep.
“Afghanistan will not get rehabilitated via aids from foreign countries, while their aids are not empty of purposes,” said Mujahid.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan IEA support completion of the project and called on the entire Afghans to support the project with all strength, as the whole affairs of the biggest scheme would go ahead by the Afghans.
“Decisions would never be made for war anymore, but we would join hand for the reconstruction of the country,” Mujahid told the gathering.
Acting Minister of Chamber and commerce, Nooruddin Azizi also spoke at the ceremony saying Afghanistan will not be a burden on the shoulder of others anymore and the ministry wanted to increase exports more than imports. “We need Afghan investors to invest in their own country and jointly reconstruct the country,” he said. Balkh governor and head of the National Company also spoke on issues relating to the inauguration of the irrigation canal and expressed their pleasure over a bright economic future in the country as well as calling on the entire people to extend hand with the IEA leadership for the development of the country. Zarabi
Thousands of people to enjoy work as irrigation canal launched in Balkh
