DUSHANBE, April 16, 2009, Asia-Plus – In his annual address to the parliament, President Emomali Rahmon stated yesterday that the global financial crisis should not affect implementation of the government’s social policy.
According to him, the planned increase in wages of employees of organizations funded from the budget, pensions, student grants and allowances will be implemented despite the crisis.
The president noted that social spending accounted for 44% (2.6 billion somoni) of this year’s budget allocations, which was 1.3 billion somoni, or 58 percent, more than in the 2008 budget.
Beginning on July 1, wages of medical workers, employees of social protection and culture organizations will be raised by 30 percent and wages of employees of the science and education sector will be raised by 15 percent beginning on September 1, the president said.
Rahmon noted that 4.9 billion somoni had been spent over the last five years for enhancement of the social sphere.
