Herat (PAN): Officials say the outgoing decade saw implementation of multiple development projects in Herat that led to creation of more opportunities for jobless youth of the province.
Herat Governor Dawood Shah Saba said that development projects worth $500 million have been completed in his province during the last three years. He went on to say that the projects implemented elsewhere in the province include health, education, rural development, public works, and urban development. Trade activities witnessed visible boom with the rehabilitation of around 350 factories in Herat, he added.
Noor Mohammad Zarifi, provincial council member while vehemently criticizing development projects, admitted that much has been done in terms of completion of development projects in the province.
Following repeated demands by the residents, roads and water canals could not be constructed in many districts, he said, adding that people of the province are not happy with the current state of rehabilitation work. He said that the people want the development and building of the entire infrastructure.
Herat Mayor Mohammad Salim Taraki admitted though the rehabilitation work is not as per the expectations of the residents, work on several projects is still underway.
He informed that hectic construction work is in progress to pave streets of the city, adding that 25% work has been done so far. He said that the project of street pavement costs $35 million, which is allocated from the revenue of provincial municipality.
A gigantic development plan spanning 25 years has been chalked out for Herat city, which would be implemented after approval by the cabinet.
Amir Shah, a resident of Herat seventh municipality district told Pajhwok Afghan News that Herat does not have enough reconstruction as has been claiming, adding that some sectors in the province are in dilapidated condition.
He complained that there is none to address their problems despite staging large scale demonstrations against bumpy roads and prolonged power outages.  
Shikib Ahmad, a resident of ninth municipality district said that even a single canalization system could not be established during the last decade.   
Mohammad Arif, resident of the Kusk-e-Kuhna district told Pajhwok News that the road leading to his district could not be constructed during the last several years.
Eng. Habibullah Taimori, head of provincial public works department held out assurances that roads of the entire districts of the province would be paved within the next three years. He said that construction work to pave a total of 350 kilometers roads of Ghorian, Farsi, Shindand and Chisht-e-Sharif districts has already been started.
M. Muaeen Saboor, spokesman provincial education department informed around 450 schools have been rebuilt or rehabilitated so far while construction work 35 more schools is underway.
Abdul Karim, a resident of Shindand district Aziz Abad village and member of village council complained that development activities in his district are moving with a slow pace as compared to other districts.
He said that the credit for any achievements in development sector goes to the residents, adding that the role of the government was throughout lethargic.
Agha Mohammad Saddiqui, head of provincial rural rehabilitation department said around 900 development councils have been established in the province. In addition, he said that development projects of the National Solidarity Program (NSP) are successfully implemented in almost all districts.
All the development projects are implemented after thorough consultations with the residents and taking them into confidence, he said, adding that the residents paid 10% costs of the projects. 
Last year, they spent around Afs. 500 million on development projects including construction of schools, dug wells, buildings for cultural associations, construction of roads and water canals, Saddiqui concluded.