The Herat Municipality says that in the new fiscal year, it will implement infrastructure, development and income-generating projects in different areas of the city with a budget of more than one billion Afghanis. At the same time, there are concerns among citizens about delays in completing some projects from last year.
Publish dateWednesday 16 April 2025 - 14:36
Story Code : 312949
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Herat: The Herat Provincial Municipality has announced the allocation of a budget of more than one billion and 10 million Afghanis for urban development projects in the fiscal year 1404 AH.
Nasser Armal, the spokesman for the department, said in an exclusive interview with the Afghan Voice News Agency (AVA): “Taking into account the municipality’s reserve budget, our total budget for this year is about one billion and 10 million Afghanis, which will be spent on various projects, including the development of urban infrastructure, the construction of underpasses and the creation of new sources of income.”
He added that technical studies and initial surveys of projects in the city’s fifteen districts have begun, and the municipality is trying to meet the city’s immediate and long-term needs with well-considered plans.
Armal also noted that 200 million afghanis of this budget was provided from internal reserves and is to be spent on projects that will create a source of income for the municipality itself. For example, the project to build a large market in the courtyard of the municipality is a priority; a plan that has been worked on for the past few years but has not reached the implementation stage.
Along with the new programs, some Herat citizens have expressed dissatisfaction with the slow completion of past construction projects. Mohammad Rahim, a resident of the Khajeh Kale district, told Ava: “The road in our area has remained unfinished for several months and has severely disrupted people’s movement. We ask the municipality to put pressure on the contractor company to complete the project as soon as possible.”
However, the spokesperson for the Herat Municipality emphasizes that the progress of projects last year was satisfactory and only a few projects are yet to be completed.
“Last year, we had about 160 development projects, of which 60 were considered major projects. Fortunately, only 7 projects remain, which are about 90 percent advanced and will be completed soon,” he said.
The Herat Municipality is one of the institutions with relatively high incomes at the provincial level and finances most urban development projects with domestic revenues and local taxes.
If you want, I can also provide you with a brief analysis of the importance of the municipality’s budget and the challenges of urban development in Herat. Which dimension would you like me to focus on: financial, managerial, or people-oriented?
According to experts, the allocation of more than one billion Afghanis for development projects in Herat is undoubtedly an important step towards urban development in one of the largest and most populous cities in Afghanistan. But this large budget is both an opportunity and a test for the municipal administration.
On the one hand, the share of 200 million Afghanis from domestic reserves and the focus on creating revenue-generating projects indicate an effort to achieve financial self-sufficiency and create sustainable sources of income, especially in a situation where foreign aid has almost ceased.
On the other hand, the slow implementation of some projects last year, especially in the road construction sector, is a serious challenge to public trust. The continued incompleteness of projects can cause citizen dissatisfaction and weaken the position of local government. This is while the public, more than anything, wants tangible results and practical services.
In terms of management, transparency in budget spending, the selection of committed contractors, and careful monitoring of project implementation will be the three key aspects of success. Also, public participation and regular information about the progress of projects can strengthen the sense of ownership and support of citizens.
Ultimately, if this budget is spent effectively and with full transparency, Herat can become a successful model of domestically-based urban development nationwide. Otherwise, there is a risk of repeating half-baked experiments and wasting resources.
Nasser Armal, the spokesman for the department, said in an exclusive interview with the Afghan Voice News Agency (AVA): “Taking into account the municipality’s reserve budget, our total budget for this year is about one billion and 10 million Afghanis, which will be spent on various projects, including the development of urban infrastructure, the construction of underpasses and the creation of new sources of income.”
He added that technical studies and initial surveys of projects in the city’s fifteen districts have begun, and the municipality is trying to meet the city’s immediate and long-term needs with well-considered plans.
Armal also noted that 200 million afghanis of this budget was provided from internal reserves and is to be spent on projects that will create a source of income for the municipality itself. For example, the project to build a large market in the courtyard of the municipality is a priority; a plan that has been worked on for the past few years but has not reached the implementation stage.
Along with the new programs, some Herat citizens have expressed dissatisfaction with the slow completion of past construction projects. Mohammad Rahim, a resident of the Khajeh Kale district, told Ava: “The road in our area has remained unfinished for several months and has severely disrupted people’s movement. We ask the municipality to put pressure on the contractor company to complete the project as soon as possible.”
However, the spokesperson for the Herat Municipality emphasizes that the progress of projects last year was satisfactory and only a few projects are yet to be completed.
“Last year, we had about 160 development projects, of which 60 were considered major projects. Fortunately, only 7 projects remain, which are about 90 percent advanced and will be completed soon,” he said.
The Herat Municipality is one of the institutions with relatively high incomes at the provincial level and finances most urban development projects with domestic revenues and local taxes.
If you want, I can also provide you with a brief analysis of the importance of the municipality’s budget and the challenges of urban development in Herat. Which dimension would you like me to focus on: financial, managerial, or people-oriented?
According to experts, the allocation of more than one billion Afghanis for development projects in Herat is undoubtedly an important step towards urban development in one of the largest and most populous cities in Afghanistan. But this large budget is both an opportunity and a test for the municipal administration.
On the one hand, the share of 200 million Afghanis from domestic reserves and the focus on creating revenue-generating projects indicate an effort to achieve financial self-sufficiency and create sustainable sources of income, especially in a situation where foreign aid has almost ceased.
On the other hand, the slow implementation of some projects last year, especially in the road construction sector, is a serious challenge to public trust. The continued incompleteness of projects can cause citizen dissatisfaction and weaken the position of local government. This is while the public, more than anything, wants tangible results and practical services.
In terms of management, transparency in budget spending, the selection of committed contractors, and careful monitoring of project implementation will be the three key aspects of success. Also, public participation and regular information about the progress of projects can strengthen the sense of ownership and support of citizens.
Ultimately, if this budget is spent effectively and with full transparency, Herat can become a successful model of domestically-based urban development nationwide. Otherwise, there is a risk of repeating half-baked experiments and wasting resources.
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