By Iftikhar Gilani
NEW DELHI: India on Thursday sanctioned additional funds for the construction of a new parliament building in Kabul, calling it a visible symbol of Indias contribution in strengthening and rebuilding democracy in Afghanistan.
Hoping that this will generate goodwill for India in Afghanistan, a spokesman said that the union cabinet also approved construction of an Indian chancery complex in Kabul that will provide a secure and functional base for Indias diplomatic functions, in the context of an attack on its High Commission office in July.
The revised estimate approved for both the projects in Kabul is to the tune of Rs 9.5 billion.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had laid the foundation stone of the proposed parliament building in August 2005 during his visit to Afghanistan.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs also sanctioned Rs 6.35 million for setting up integrated checkposts at 13 identified entry points on the land borders of India, including one in Rajasthan.
The integrated checkposts shall be a sanitised zone with dedicated passenger and cargo terminals consisting of customs and immigration facilities, the spokesman said.
Besides health and quarantine facilities, these checkposts will have all passenger amenities such as waiting areas, restaurants, rest rooms, dutyfree shops, parking, warehousing, container yards, transport and logistics companies offices, banks and financial services, dormitories for drivers, service stations and fuel stations, in a single complex equipped with state-of-the-art modern amenities.
A Land Port Authority of India is being set up to undertake the construction, management and maintenance of the integrated checkposts, for which a bill is being introduced in parliament, the spokesman added.
