Ministry launches mass awareness drive against poppy cultivation KABUL, Aug 21 (Pajhwok Afghan News) The Acting Minister for Counternarcotics said they had launched a mass awareness campaign in 17 provinces of the country. General Khudaidad, Acting Minister for Counternarcotics Tuesday told journalists the campaign was launched on August 1. He added an amount of $0.5 million had been provided by the United States and England for the campaign. The provinces where the mass awareness drive was underway included Uruzgan, Helmand, Kandahar, Farah, Nimroz, Zabul, Nangarhar, Laghman, Balkh, Badakhshan, Ghor, Baghlan, Daikundi and Badghis, said the minister. He added that the government was going to announce 13 other provinces free of poppies during the current year. He said last year, six provinces were announced poppy-free. Each of those provinces was provided with $0.5 million from the Counternarcotics Trust Fund (CNTF) of the ministry. He said one million dollars additional would be given to each province if they achieved the target during this year. The provincial government would launch reconstruction projects with the amount. Maidan Wardak, Kabul, Parwan, Panjsher and Baghlan provinces did not cultivate poppies last year. According to a report, Afghanistan produced 92 percent of the world heroin last year. Ahmad Kahlid Moahid mnm/dk
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