KHOST - As many as 1,500 development projects, benefiting more than 20,000 families, have been executed under the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) in Khost province.

Since 2003, NSP initiated in Khost, 27 types of 1,500 basic projects, including installation of power systems, water supply pipelines, reconstruction of roads, construction of meeting halls, building schools, etc., Engineer Salamat Khan Mandozai, Chief of NSP in Khost said.

Security challenges do however hinder the NSP to function in Bak, Alisher and Sabari districts, and efforts are ongoing to extend it to these districts, Mandozai added.

Although some residents of Khost do complain about the low quality of projects, most people are happy about the NSP and are asking for the execution of more projects in Khost, said Haji Gul Rehaman, an elder, who expressed pleasure over the completion of development projects.

“These projects have considerably solved our problems. We were using canal water, now we have access to clean drinking water from the wells dug by the department of RRD,” he said. 

Torabaz Khan, a resident from Tanni district said “we were using oil lamp before the installation of the solar power system.”

Meantime, 1229.5 tons of food items, provided by the World Food Programme were distributed by the Department of Rural and Rehabilitation Development (DoRRD) through the food-for-work project in 10 districts, including central Khost, Engineer Mohammad Usman Mehdi, Director of DoRRD said.

So far 500 wells have been dug and a number of school buildings have been constructed under a programme funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund and the Provincial Reconstruction Team.

By: Dilawar Khan Dilawar