Tuesday, June 04, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The meeting of Council of Ministers (CM) chaired by President Karzai held in Gulkhana palace.
The minister of education and head of the commission for Nawruz of 1393 presented the final map of the premise for holding of Nawruz festival of 1393 to be built on Paghman Hill along with other programs and activities to achieve the goal.
The CM while confirming the map and the Nawruz programs instructed the ministers of education, finance considering the saving in the expenses of this project, after deduction of some additional expenses finalize the cost of the project and the finance ministry should pay its cost to the commission.
As per the agenda minister of agriculture and irrigation along with the technical team while the head of central statistics department was also present, , presented the report of the ministry pertaining to land under cultivation and the level of products in 1391 compared to the past years. He compared the agricultural products in the recent years from 1382 to 1391 on comparison basis.
Meanwhile, the minister of agriculture and irrigation informed the CM of the increase in forestry from 1.3 million hectares in 1393 to 1.69 million hectares and the reduction of irrigated land in 2010 from 3.6 million hectares to 2 million hectares due to water shortages, machineries and production factors, shortage of human resources and high cost prices compared to the market.
He also informed the CM about the mapping of land coverage at the country level and added that the new data base has been completed in January of 2013 has been improved.
The CM while confirming the technical explanations of the minister of agriculture and irrigation assigned the ministry to exert efforts toward mechanization of agriculture, procurement of improved seeds, upgrading the quality of agricultural products, reviving of irrigation canals, facilitating agriculture in localities for farmers, increasing of agro-industrial products like cotton, flowers, beet and other items.
The minister of mines informed the CM about the contract of gold mine of Nurba of Takhar which had been contracted with the West Land General Training company in 1387 and stressed that due to some shortcomings in the content of this contract, its amendment has been confirmed by the council of ministers in the mines law.
The CM adopted the amendments of the contract and assigned the presidential advisor in construction, technical, mines, energy and water affairs to amend and finalize the contract.
The ministers of finance, commerce and industries presented the stable tax tariff of petroleum products that met approval of the CM.
At the end four international conventions were presented to the CM by the Foreign Minister including:
1. Cooperation agreement between the University of Balkh and the University of Najmuddin Arbaken of Turkey,
2. Memorandum of understanding of cultural cooperation between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka,
3. Cooperation agreement in economic, educational, scientific and technological spheres between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
The CM assigned the Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Security Advisor to review the letter of understanding between Afghanistan and Iran with respect to water and power considering the national interests of Afghanistan and report to the presidential office.
