President Hamid Karzai, currently visiting India, told a gathering in the capital city of Mumbai that his country is ready for Indian investments in mining and other sectors and that India should not hesitate about coming for investment to Afghanistan, where the Chinese have invested billions of dollars in exploiting the mineral reserves.

The trip to India is aimed at attracting investments to the war-torn country that is relying heavily on its abundant natural resources for economic development.

Indian Commerce Minister, Anand Sharma, assured the Afghan leader that India would consider developing Afghanistan’s infrastructure, including highways, power projects, the Chahbahar port and ensuring energy security.

Oct 22nd, 2012
Source: Reuters
A Chinese firm has started extracting oil from the Amu Darya basin in northern Afghanistan, mining officials said, a key moment in the country’s quest to pay its own way.
Afghanistan signed a 25-year contract with National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) last December covering drilling and a planned refinery in the northern provinces of Faryab and Sar-e-Pul. It is the first major oil production in the country.
“The company will extract 1,950 barrels per day, which will crucially help Afghanistan towards self-sustainability and economic independence,” mining minister Wahidullah Shahrani said yesterday as huge machines started drilling next to mud houses in remote Sar-e-Pul.

Oct 17th, 2012
Source: Pajhwok Afghan News
KUNDUZ CITY : The revenue of northern Kunduz province rose by 22 million Afghanis ($416,115) during the first half of the current year, compared to the corresponding period of 2011, an official said on Wednesday.
The provincial income increased to 137 million afghanis during the first half of 2012 from 115 million afghanis in the first six months of last year, Director of Revenue Syed Alim Sadat told Pajhwok Afghan News.
Sadat said last year’s total revenues stood at more than 285 million afghanis. Most of the money came from taxes on salaries of government and NGO servants, Sher Khan Port and the real estate business.

Oct 16th, 2012
Source: Pajhwok Afghan News
The Afghan government is investigating how the country can generate 2,000 Megawatts of electricity per year, the Council of Ministers said on Monday.
The council ordered the Ministry of Energy and Water and the Ministry of Agriculture to investigate the cost of such projects using funds from foreign entities such as the World Bank and also internal sources, it said in a statement.
The Ministries are to look into fuel possibilities including water, dams, gas, coal, and present the findings at a meeting with the Council.