DUSHANBE, June 26, 2008, Asia-Plus — The present socio-economic situation in the city and the district of Kulob was a major topic of a meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with local administrators in Kulob n June 25.
Addressing the meeting, the president reminded that 114 facilities for a total amount of more than 180 million somonis have been built in the region over the past three years.
Besides, 10 projects are currently being implemented in Kulob with attraction of both budgetary funds and investments.
A number of investment projects have resulted in construction of nine outpatients’ clinics, surgical department at the city central hospital, purchase of medical equipment and medicines as well as training of medical personnel, Rahmon said.
According to him, major repairs have been made to 44 of 59 local schools and additional classes to accommodate totaling 1,300 pupils have been built in Kulob over the past three years.
The Kulob water supply system has been rehabilitated, techniques of local communal services have been improved and more than 3,800 gas meters have been installed.
Work on reconstruction of the Kulob airport is under way. The estimated budget for this project is 15 million somonis. Over the first five months of this year, they have spent 700,000 somonis.
Speaking at the meeting, the president noted that construction work for 7 million somonis has been carried out in Kulob over the first five months of this year, which is only 90 percent of the January-May 2007 level.
President Rahmon noted that Kulob should become one of Tajikistan’s largest industrial-agrarian centers. He pointed to the necessity of rehabilitating local food industry through attraction of investments.
He, in particular, noted that the Kulob collet plant, garment and shoe factories, which currently operate only 10%-20% of their capacities, should be modernized.
He also charged local authorities jointly with Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) power holding to take measures to removed electricity debts in the region. Kulob electricity debts now amount to 1.5 million.
The president also pointed to the necessity of increasing production of grains, vegetables, potatoes and other agricultural crops.
