Revenue increases in Samangan and Herat

In Afghanistan’s northern province of Samangan, the head of the coal mining enterprises told Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) that revenues from the Dara-e-Sauf coalmine has tripled. 300 million afghanis has been made in the first six months of this year, compared to the 102 million afghanis during the same period in 2009. According to the Dara-e-Sauf district chief, Ahmad Ali Hussaini, more than 1,400 tonnes of coal are being extracted daily. “The mine in Dara-e-Sauf was discovered in 1966 by locals and in 1967 it was surveyed by experts from the former Soviet Union and Germany. At that time, coal reserves were estimated at 150 million tonnes”, the PAN report said. The governor of the province told Tolo news that the increase in revenue was mostly due to the “absolute security in the province, and also the closure of some illegal mine diggings”. The industry keeps thousands of Afghans employed.

Afghan media had also reported earlier this week that Afghanistan’s western province of Herat has had a customs revenue increase of 36 percent over the past 6 months. A customs official told PAN that revenues during the first 6 months of last year was 4.51 billion afghanis. This year it has reached 6.15 billion afghanis. Items such as fuel, vehicles, food, medicine clothes and reconstruction material are imported via Herat, and the government raises revenue by taxing these items. Besides the increase in revenue, the customs department also provides jobs for 3,000 people.

1 US dollar = about 45.16 afghanis
(as of September 28, 2010)

September 28, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Job Creation, Security in Afghanistan