Wages, pensions and student grants will not be raised this year because the budget for this year has not earmarked funds for these purposes, according to the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
An official source at a MoF says they are currently working out the draft budget for 2020 and the budget key indicators for the next two years.
“A special attention is given to the issue of raising well-being of the population and if sources of financing are found, the budget for the next year will project funds for raising wages, pensions and student grants,” the source added.
In his address to a joint session of both houses of the parliament, President Emomali Rahmon on December 26 pointed to the necessity of laying foundation for raising wages, pensions and student grants within the next few years.
For the last time, rates of wages, pensions and student grants were raised by 15-30 percent on September 1, 2018.
In October last year, an average monthly wage in Tajikistan was estimated at 1,302 somoni (equivalent to 138 U.S. dollars), according to the Agency for Statistics under the Government of Tajikistan.
In October 2018, the lowest average monthly wage in the real sector of economy was reported in the agrarian sector – 541 somoni (equivalent to 57 U.S. dollars).
In the same period, the highest average monthly wage in the real sector of economy was reported in the mining sector – 2,551 somoni (equivalent to 270 U.S. dollars).
In the construction sector, an average monthly wage was estimated at 2,476 somoni (equivalent to 263 U.S. dollars).
The highest average monthly wage in the service sector of economy in October last year was reported in the financial sector – 3,186 somoni (equivalent to 338 U.S. dollars).
In the energy sector, an average monthly wages were estimated at 1,546 somoni (equivalent to 164 U.S. dollars).
Tajikistan reportedly has the lowest average wage among the CIS nations. According findings of the survey by the National Research University Higher School of Economics, which is one of the largest and leading universities in Russia, the lowest average monthly wage in 2017 was reported in Tajikistan – 137 U.S. dollars.
Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Belarus remain leaders among the CIS nations in terms of average wage rates.
In Russia, an average monthly wage in 2017 was estimated at 600 U.S. dollar, in Kazakhstan – 459.1 U.S. dollars, in Belarus – 421.9 U.S. dollars, and in Azerbaijan – 360.7 U.S. dollar.
In Moldova, an average monthly wage in 2017 reportedly stood at 308.4 USD, in Ukraine – 272.0 USD, and in Kyrgyzstan – 216.3 USD.
