DUSHANBE, October 4, 2008, Asia-Plus — Speaking at a meeting with district administrators and public activists in the Tojikobod district, President Emomali Rahmon noted that construction and rehabilitation of roads is one of priority areas, according to presidential press service.
According to him, 19 road construction and rehabilitation projects for a total amount of 2.18 billion somoni are currently implemented in Tajikistan.
“Over the past 10 years, 141 million somoni has been allocated for socioeconomic development of Tojikobod,” said the president, “Four small power plants for a total amount of six million somoni have been built in the district within the framework of investment projects. Implementation of the Fathobod hydroelectricity project, which was launched in April this year, is nearing completion.”
He said that the estimated budget for construction of this power plant with capacity of 600 kW is 2.6 million somoni.
Rahmon added that four other mini power plants with a total capacity of 2.2 megawatt will be built in the district under the national program of construction of small hydropower electric plants designed for 2008-2020.
On the agrarian sector, the president noted that there are still many unused resources in the district that could promote enhancement of the sector. He charged local authorities jointly wit the Ministry of Agriculture and the Academy of Agricultural Sciences to consider the possibility of extending areas under potatoes and fruit orchard areas as well as increasing total numbers of livestock and poultry.
He also noted that one of serious problems facing the district is shortage of medical workers. Although 16 residents of Tojikobod entered Tajik Medical University by presidential quota and some of them have already graduated from the university, only less than half of them retuned to the district to work with local medical facilities, the press service said. During the meeting, it was also noted that many medical facilities in the district are experiencing shortage of ambulances.
Today, President Rahmon is visiting Jirgatol and Tavildara districts.
