DUSHANBE, January 25, Asia-Plus — Water users now owe 81 million somonis (equivalent to $23.4 million) to the Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources (MLRWR), Deputy Land Reclamation and Water Resources Minister, Homidjon Hasanov, said.
“In the meantime the ministry’s debt to power holding Barqi Tojik for electricity shipments have to date reached 41 million somonis (more than $11.8 million),” the deputy minister said.
On the issue of introduction of a new mechanic of financing farming units, Mr. Hasanov noted that loans are provided by banks at the rate of 2,770 somonis per one hectare, with 120 somonis being earmarked for reclamation work.
He added that under an agreement signed between the ministry and Japan’s Mitsubishi in July 2007 $7 million worth of equipment for reclamation sector will arrive in Tajikistan. The first bulk of the equipment worth $1.35 million is expected to arrive in the country in the spring.
