KABUL, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- A new canal has been inaugurated in eastern Afghanistan's Laghman province, with the capacity to irrigate over 5,000 hectares of land, the official media Bakhtar news said Thursday.
The 18.8 km canal, built at a cost of 35 million afghanis (over 528,000 U.S. dollars), was opened on Wednesday in the Qarghayi district. In addition to providing irrigation for agricultural lands, the canal will also supply drinking water to thousands of families in the region, the report said.
Meanwhile, Afghan authorities have begun constructing a road and bridge in Khost province, a project valued at 30 million Afghanis.
These projects are part of the government's ongoing efforts to address water scarcity while creating job opportunities for local communities. ■