By IANS,
Kabul : India Thursday offered a fresh assistance of $500 million to Afghanistan as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began a two-day visit to the country.
The $500 million will be in addition to the $1.5 billion that India already given to Afghanistan.
The new assistance has been committed in certain new specific areas, some of which has are:
· A fresh commitment of $100 million for the third phase of India’s programme of Small Development Projects, over and above the previous pledge of US$ 20 million
· Upgradation of the agricultural department at the Kabul University to an agricultural university and providing scholarships for the study of agricultural sciences.
· Donation of 500 tractors for Afghan farmers; Provision of seeds and other assistance for the agricultural sector,
· The early finalization of a $50 million Buyers Credit Line to promote exports and attract Indian business to Afghanistan;
· A grant of $10 million for preservation and revival of Afghanistan’s archaeological and cultural heritage and cultural exchanges;
· A grant of $4 million to the Government of Afghanistan for the restoration of the historic Stor Palace in Kabul.
· Assistance in setting up an Afghan Institute of Mining.
· Establishment of a Jawaharlal Nehru Chair of Indian Studies at Kabul University
· Reiterating the commitment to donate 250,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan to meet its requirements this year.