The National Development Corporation (NDC) said that over the previous year it completed 89 development projects around the nation.

In a press briefing for the Government Accountability Program for the Nation, NDC officials said that work is currently underway on 21 projects, including the Qosh Tepa Canal and Kamal Khan Dam.

The NDC's most significant accomplishments in the previous year were reportedly the start of the exploration of the Balkhab coal mine in Sar-e Pol province, the beginning of the construction of a significant market for the processing and sale of coal in Maidan Wardak, and the regaining of 267 acres of land and 160 shops from the usurpers.

"The National Development Corporation is working on 21 projects in different parts of the country, among them the large and national projects of the Qosh Tepa canal in the north of the country and the canals of Qala-e-Afzal and Turku from Kamal Khan dam in Nimroz,” said Abdul Wali Adel, the financial and administrative deputy of the National Development Company.

"We had more than 1,300 projects underway last year. Although some of our projects have been halted due to various factors, the National Development Corporation's overall income is estimated to be 11 billion afghanis,” said Reyazuddin Sharifi, Deputy Director of Production and Trade Affairs of NDC.

According to the National Development Corporation (NDC) officials, these projects will have a significant impact on the growth of the nation's economy.

"The budget for the Qosh Tepa canal has been approved by the cabinet, and the money for the first phase of the canal will be given from the mines to the Ministry of Finance and through that to the Administrative Affairs Office for us," said Sharifi.

According to officials, the first phase of the Qosh Tepa canal will cost 16 billion Afs, which will be paid from the revenues of the country's mines.

Based on the information provided by the National Development Corporation (NDC), 85% of the first phase of the Qosh Tepa canal has already been dug, and more than 94% of the Turku and Qala-e-Afzal dam construction for the Kamal Khan dam in Nimroz has already been completed.

Correction: TOLOnews earlier reported that the first phase of Qush-Tepa canal costs $16 billion but the correct figure is 16 billion Afs.