KABUL, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan government has initiated a program to provide cash assistance and food rations to 80,000 families of returning migrants nationwide, the administrative deputy of the country's prime minister announced on Sunday.

Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi made the announcement while visiting northern provinces. He officially launched the distribution of cash aid and food supplies to 2,200 eligible returning families in Jawzjan province on Sunday.

Hanafi had commenced the same program in Balkh province on Saturday. He said that the government is giving special priority to returning migrants and will extend cash and food assistance to 80,000 families across the country.

In addition to the financial and food support, each eligible returning family will receive one plot of residential land in their home province, Hanafi added.

The support package for each family consists of 5,000 afghanis (about 77 U.S. dollars) in cash and 250 kg of wheat.

According to official statistics, nearly 2.8 million Afghan migrants returned to the country in 2025 from neighboring nations, primarily Iran and Pakistan. ■