KABUL (Pajhwok): The Sar-i-Pul council members on Tuesday alleged $7 million funds allocated for alternative livelihood programmes had been spent on other development projects.
Six years ago, Sar-i-Pul was declared a poppy- free province and the counter-narcotics ministry allocated $1 million annually to the province for cultivating alternative crops.
Asadullah Khurram, provincial council member, said deserving farmers did not receive even a single penny from the fund. “Local officials promised to give cash to residents and farmers but the pledge was not honoured. This has forced some to return to poppy cultivation.”
Hamidullah Hamid, director of the counter-narcotics departments, told Pajhwok Afghan News the money should have been spent on projects directly benefiting farmers, but it did not occur.
“This demonstrates incompetency of local officials,” he said, adding that counter-narcotics department was not involved in decisions taken by the officials.
Abdul Ghafoor, personal assistant to acting governor, confirmed the money had been spent on other projects but said the decision was taken by the provincial development committee.
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