Tuesday October 11, 2016
Kabul (BNA) A major housing project of Industrial and Residential Carpet Townships was signed between the Ministry of Urban Development, Independent Land Authority, and Union of Carpet Exporting & Production of Afghanistan here yesterday in presence of president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, a statement from the presidential palace said.
At the outset, Jawad Paikar director of the Independent Land Authority of Afghanistan welcomed the Union of Carpet Production and Exporting of Afghanistan, adding government supports of the private sector will lead to self-sufficiency. He called the project to be named as Residential and Industrial Carpet Townships and the design would be developed in coordination with Ministries of Urban Development and Commerce and Industries, where the first phase will be 3500 acres of land, 1500 of which would be in Nangarhar, 1000 in Balkh and the remaining 1000 acres of land would be allocated in Kunduz province.
According him the second phase would contain 5500 acres of land, and would be processed in the coming 10 years based on the proposal of the exporter and producers of the Afghan carpets. The director the ILA went on saying that with implementation of the project, 180 to 200 million USD would be invested and five to ten thousands of Afghan carpet weavers would be invited to return back to their country. According Paikan, 110 thousands of people directly would be involved the project, where half a million of others would be indirectly benefited from the project.
Later on, presidential advisor on infrastructures spoke related to the project, adding the project would boost the domestic products as well would help protect the tradition culture of the Afghan people.
The Minister of Urban Development and Housing Syed Sadat Mansoor Naderi said during the signing ceremony that government has responded positively to one of the main needs and demands of the carpet weaving sector of the country by committing 8 thousand acres of land that will pave the way to attract $200 million in this sector.
Speaking during a ceremony for the inauguration of the project, Minister Naderi promised to take all necessary actions for preparing plans for the ascertained areas and establishment of infrastructures. Minister Naderi further added each thread of the Afghan carpet represents the wealthy culture and rare arts of the Afghan nation which has presented the national identity of the country on global level besides remaining one of the main exporting product of Afghanistan. He admitted that the carpet weaving sector of the country suffered the most as the other sectors during the decades of war and lack of necessary support during the past years that led to the destruction and embezzlement of the product. Naderi said the outsiders are gaining the most benefits out of the selling of the Afghan carpets besides they are given trademarks of the other countries as they are exported in global markets. According to Naderi, the government’s support towards the carpet weaving sector could not only improve the trade of Afghan carpets but will also help to develop other sectors including agriculture, livestock and trade. He emphasized that the growth of carpet weaving sector will also create job opportunities for thousands of Afghan people. Esmatullah Bator head of the Union of Carpet Production and Exporting of Afghanistan called the project unprecedented in the history of carpet industry, adding that the carpet are mostly being weaved by the ladies in their houses. At the end Sharifa Ahmadzai one of the Union’s member praised the initiative taken by the government, asking the government to further pay attention in asphalting roads connecting cities with industrial parks as well as construction of clinics and providing of a safe and sound environment for their activities.
