$1.5 billion to be spent on NSP Projects

The Afghan ministry of rural rehabilitation and development says it has allocated 1.5 billion dollars for the projects under National Solidarity Programme (NSP)

The Ministry said the projects are funded by the World Bank and some other donors.

According to the Ministry, with the allocation of this amount, 30 percent of the remaining rural areas in Afghanistan will be covered by the NSP.

In the next five years, all the villages in Afghanistan will be covered by the third phase of the Programme under which the previously implemented projects will be reviewed and new projects will be launched.

"The allocated amount will be used to cover 30 percent of the remaining villages, and half of the total number of villages in Afghanistan will be covered for the second time," said Tariq Asmati, executive director of NSP.

The NSP projects will focus on providing drinking water facilities, constructiion of health and educational centres, establishing hydro power plants, building roads, bridges and culverts, retaining walls and water canals.