DUSHANBE, October 9, Asia-Plus — Tajik government summed up the country’s economic results in January-September at an October 8 meeting presided over by President Emomali Rahmon, presidential press service said.
Representatives from the government, president’s office and heads of a number of ministries and organizations took part at the meeting.
The meeting also considered a progress of the cotton and potatoes harvesting campaigns, construction of the Sangtuda-1 power plant, and preparations for winter as well as ministerial conference under the Central Asia regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program that will be held in Dushanbe on November 2-4.
During the meeting, it was noted that Tajikistan’s gross domestic product rose 7.1 percent in the year to October 1, 2007, and by the end of this year it is expected to have reached more than 13 billion somonis. In January-September 2007, exports have increased by 56 percent, while imports have decreased by 28.8 percent that is evidence of macroeconomic development of the country, according to presidential press service. The national budget for January-September has been overfulfilled by 6 percent.
Expressing concern about rise in inflation and high prices of flour, wheat and some basic food products, President Rahmon set concrete tasks on fulfillment of targets and implementation of the socioeconomic development support programs.
The First Deputy Prime Minister, Asadullo Ghulomov, reported on a progress of construction of the Sangtuda-1 hydropower plant. According to him, the work is being carried out in accordance with schedule and the plan to introduce the first unit of the plant into operation in December this year is practicable.
During the meeting, it was also noted that work on increasing capacities of the Dushanbe heat plant and rehabilitation of the Yovon heat plant had been speeded up. “The first unit of the Yovon heat plant will be put into operation in mid-October and by 2009, its capacity will have been brought to 300 megawatt,” the first deputy prime minister said. .
