JALALABAD - A four-year plan has been designed for development, reconstruction and economic expansion of neighboring Nuristan province, says Governor Hafizullah Abdul Qayum.
In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News in Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, the Nuristatn governor said his province had beautiful landscapes, mountains, forests and water dams for tourists. He said facilities for the stay of tourists were being provided to convert Nuristan into a tourist destination.
He said currently efforts were underway to construct a hotel in Paroon, Nuristan’s capital, to attract tourists. Private hotels would also be established in some districts.
The governor explained reconstruction, development, good governance, construction of school buildings, reconstruction of roads and connecting districts with the capital were part of the four-year reconstruction plan.
According to the governor, people from western districts travel 400 kilometers to reach Paroon and from eastern towns, they travel 350 kilometers.
However, he said work is underway on two highways (60 kilometers for western districts and 70 kilometers for eastern districts).
Claiming huge changes in the provincial health sector, Qayum said he had also shared his plan about water management and construction of small dams with the power utility and the Ministry of Water and Energy.
He said Nuristan had about 570 kilometers of different rivers and construction of water heads would not only provide electricity to Nuristan but would also to neighboring provinces (Laghman, Kunar and Nangarhar).
According to Qayumi, Nuristan has many mines of precious stones and he has shared plans about it with Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.
He said Nuristan mines were not for huge contracts but should be contracted domestically.
He revealed that smugglers and militants had made insecure areas where mines were located. Reconstruction work on 40 school buildings was smoothly underway and rehabilitation work of the remaining schools would complete in next two years.
Qayumi criticized international organizations for no attention to the province, saying except World Food Program, no other organization worked for the province. (Pajhwok)