KABUL (Pajhwok): The Economic Commission has tasked relevant ministries and the Chamber of Commerce with taking steps to use coal for generating electricity.
The Economic Commission issued the directives at a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.
The Ministries of Water and Energy, Mines and Petroleum, Industry and Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce to identify joint priorities based on coal volume and power needs.
A government statement said the commission had earlier demanded the suspension of imports of inferior petroleum products to control damage to human health.
Afghanistan needs about 4.5 million tonnes of oil and 656,000 tonnes of natural gas annually. The imports mostly come from Russia, Iran, and Central Asian countries.
As of 2016, Afghanistan has 73 million tonnes of proven coal reserves, 38.9 times more than its annual consumption.
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