QUETTA, Feb 7: Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to extend a soft loan of $1.5 million to Balochistan for the construction of 3,000km roads, including farm-to-market roads.

Provincial Communications and Works Minister Agha Faisal Daud said at a press conference on Thursday that the bank would provide the first instalment of the loan in six months.

He said the loan would be returned in 20 years in easy instalments.

He said he had recently visited Philippines and convinced the ADB officials that the province should be extended loans on a markup of 2.5 per cent instead of 4.5 per cent.

He said the government was preparing a plan to construct the 3,000km roads, including farm-to-market and mines roads and work would be launched after the first instalment of the loan was received.

Replying to a question, the minister said the provincial communications department was doing a better job than the National Highways Authority. “Due to shortage of funds and extra burden of 6,000 road workers, the provincial department was not fully performing its duties,” Agha Faisal said.

He said the NHA had taken the responsibility of various provincial roads but refused to accept around 1,300 coolies working there.

The minister said the coolies were working on the national highways but the province was responsible for the payment of their salaries.

He said that soon after the formation of the government, the officials concern asked him to terminate the services of 6,000 employees who were in the surplus pool, but he refused to sack the employees who had long association with the department.

The minister said he would make all possible efforts to stop wastage of public funds.