Iraq seeks to complete the construction of four modern villages by 2015 in the governorates of Salahuddin, Diwaniya and Najaf; at a total cost of USD 97 million, senior official at Iraq's ministry of industry and minerals told Zawya.
"Contract agreements were signed with Iraq's ministry of agriculture for the construction of four modern villages in the governorates of Salahuddin, Diwaniya and Najaf," said Mohamed Qasim Al Mufty, general manager, Industrial Design and Construction Company - a subsidiary of the Iraqi ministry of industry and minerals.
Iraq's ministry of agriculture had announced in November 2011 the allocation of some USD 516 million for constructing modern villages in Iraq, as part of its five-year plan for building two modern villages within each of the country's governorates.
Al Mufty said that lands for the construction have been designated, and the project is expected to get underway during the first quarter of 2013. The duration of execution is two years, and all works should be completed by 2015.
The General Company for Industrial Design and Construction is considered one of the largest engineering subsidiaries of the ministry of industry and minerals, and is primarily involved in designing and implementing industrial projects.
According to Dr. Dorgham Mohamed, economics expert at the Iraq Economic Symposium, the idea of erecting modern villages is not new to Iraq, since it had previously been implemented during the 1980s for the purpose of developing rural areas and providing a suitable living environment for villagers.
"These villages are bound to contribute in improving the dilapidated rural environment in Iraq, and to reducing the spread of diseases emanating from the close contact of villagers with cattle due to inappropriate living conditions. On the other hand, being executed by local Iraqi companies, these projects ensure the availability of foreign currency in the country; especially since the Prime Minister had assigned Iraqi firms - especially the subsidiaries of the ministry of industry - the responsibility of implementing such projects," said Mohamed.
© Zawya 2013
