Wednesday, April 12 2006 12:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: Afghanistan would adoptdevelopment initiatives being implemented in Indian villages to achieve rural empowerment and make rural industries profitable, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said here today (Apr 12, 2006).

"During his visit to the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Karzai said, "The concept of NIRD will be taken home with us to be implemented in Afghan villages."

Though Afghanistan has some rural development programmes like Panchayati Raj, it did not have a strong thrust to empower people and bring local industry to a profitable level," he said.

During his interaction with the faculty, he invited them to Afghanistan to give guidance and direction to set up a similar institute.

So far 12 people from Afghanistan have been trained by NIRD and it should be taken up to 200, he said.

He also interacted with self-help groups and acquainted himself with the way rural industries were functioning in Andhra Pradesh.

NIRD, at its Rural Technology Park, showcased over 42 quake-proof building technologies, suitable for Afghanistan.