HARARE, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe on Tuesday announced a plan to set up a 1-million-U.S.-dollar plant to manufacture vehicle number plates in a move to save the country's foreign currency.

"Cabinet approved the proposal and attendant budget of 1 million U.S. dollars which will result in the establishment of a plant for the local manufacture of number plates," said Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, adding that the project will help citizens to access the number plates at an affordable price, which will be almost half of the current rate.

Zimbabwe spends more than 800,000 dollars annually in importing vehicle number plates, while the project will help the country reduce its import cost by localization of plate making and use of local materials, she said.

"The proposed number plates will have enhanced features which supersede those of the current number plates but still maintain compliance with SADC (Southern African Development Coordination Conference) regulations," the minister said.

The new number plates will also meet world design standards that use radio frequency identification tagging to optimize use of road space, reduce non-compliance, enhance toll and parking authentication, combat vehicle crime and fight terrorism, Mutsvangwa added. Enditem

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