MRRD signs MoUs for 18 projects

Tirinkot: The minister for Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) Eng. Ehsan Zia signed a memorandum of understanding with district development councils in the southern Uruzgan province for launching 18 reconstruction projects there.

Uruzgan governor Asadullah Hamdam had visited Uruzgan along with his Dutch counterpart to inspect development works and the general situation there closely.

He said the project included provision of clean water and digging of wells as well as construction of embankments. Funded from the rural rehabilitation and development ministrys development budget, these projects will be implemented in various districts of the province, according to Hamdam.

The minister Ehsan Zia said a fund of $9 millions have been allocated to rural rehabilitation and development works in Uruzgan province to be spent on 210 projects. He said 95 out of the 210 projects have already been completed and the rest were being worked.

The minister told journalists after signing the MoUs that reconstruction works in Uruztan were a priority for the ministrys works, but insecurity was hindering much development.

The Dutch minister for rural rehabilitation said they have completed reconstruction projects worth $30 millions so far in Uruzgan. The Netherlands have deployed a 1,400-strong civil-military Provincial Reconstruction Team in Uruzgan province doing both counterinsurgency and development works.

The Dutch minister said their contingent was also training local police. A tribal elder, Jalil Achakzai, asked the minister in a meeting with local elders to reconstruction the Agha Jan Dam that will provide electricity and irrigation water for many people in the area.

The minister said they will assess the request and will decide later about that. The Dutch minister also inaugurated jointly with the Afghan minister Eng. Ehsan Zia a primary school built with funding from the Dutch.