MEHTERLAM, Afghanistan, Apr 16 (NNN-ANA) – The Taliban-run administration inaugurated a major agricultural project, to cover 20,000 hectares of land in the eastern Laghman province, provincial governor, Zainul Abidin Madani, said yesterday.
At a cost of 20 billion afghanis and as a joint venture of the government and private sector, the project was launched in Qargahyi district on Thursday, the official said, adding, the project would irrigate 20,000 hectares of land, to cultivate more crops and develop gardening, vegetable cultivation with the objective to export agricultural products.
Welcoming the step as an initiative towards achieving self-sufficiency, locals called upon the administration to launch more such projects elsewhere in the country, to create job opportunities for the people.
Earlier, the authorities launched a 280-km long water canal, in the northern Balkh province and extraction of crude oil in the neighbouring Sari Pul province, over the past couple of weeks. (1 U.S. dollar equals 88 afghanis)– NNN-ANA
