|
|
83 Rural Development Projects for 24
Provinces
Kabul
– Wednesday (05/12/2007),
 Minister
Mohammad Ehsan Zia of the Ministry of Rural
Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) signed 83
rural development projects contracts worth USD
8,589,381 with private companies.
The contracted
projects include: digging of 1095 drinking water
wells, the construction of 1 hospital, 1 VET
clinic, 1 health clinic, 2239 latrines, 3 clean
drinking water networks, 1 water reservoir,3
bridges, construction of 2.4 km road, 4 schools
with 8 classes, 6 schools with 16 classes, and
procurement of 2 generators, establishing
satellite and internet services for MRRD
provincial departments.
These projects will
be implemented in the provinces of: Badghis,
Bamyan, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Balkh, Parwan,
Paktia, Paktika, Takhar, Juzjan, Khost,
Daa-e-Kundi,Zabul, Sar-e-Pul, Samangan, Faryab,
Ghoor, Kabul, Kundoz, Laghman, Logar,
Nangarhar, Hirat, and Helmand.
The completion
period for these projects is expected to be
6 months – creating an estimated 294,685
labor days immediate employment and in the
longer-term benefiting 2,600,216 rural
people.
“In its rural
development work, MRRD adheres to a
people-centered approach, integrated and
sustainable forms of development,
environmental protection, gender equality
and a respect for and promotion of
traditional local indigenous culture, said
Mohammad Ehsan Zia Minister of Rural
Rehabilitation and Development. ” The aims
of implementing these projects are to apply
an integrated and participatory development
approach to rural communities and to enhance
the sustainable development capacity of
poverty-stricken areas.” He added.
The digging of
1095 drinking water wells
and construction of drinking water networks
will provide access to safe drinking water
for 198,880 villagers in 22 provinces, thus
reducing the water born disease in the
mentioned areas to a large extent.
Also, with the
installation of the satellite equipments
MRRD 34 provincial departments will be
connected with the internet, improving
quality of work and will significantly
reduce communication problems with MRRD’s
provincial department.
The funding for
these projects comes from UNICEF, UNDP,
UNHCR, CIDA,
DIAG, the Governments of JAPAN, NORWAY,
INDIA, and BELGIUM, and from the ordinary
budget of MRRD.
With the
support of international community, MRRD
is working to rebuild rural Afghanistan
through its various national programmes
such as the National Solidarity
Programme (NSP), National Area Based
Development Programme (NABDP), Water and
Sanitation Programme (WATSAN), National
Rural Access Programme (NRAP), and the
Micro-Finance Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA).
|
