DUSHANBE, January 23, Asia-Plus — As of January 1 2005 55,549 hectares of agricultural lands in the republic had been in poor state and the work carried out last year resulted in improvement of reclamation of 12,219 hectares of lands, Abduqohir Nazirov, Minister of Water Resources and Land Reclamation, told journalists on January 20.

“2.27 million Somonis were spent for this,” the minister said, adding that in 2005, 10.46 million Somonis were assimilated last year on capital repairs to the irrigation infrastructure in the country.       

“The Khatlon Water Resources Administration cultivated 4,100 hectares of new lands last year; the Water Resources Administration for Sughd Province cultivated 3,500 hectares of new gardens” said the minister, “Besides, 30 hectares of lands were put into exploitation in Isfara (Sughd Province) and 2,500 hectares of new lands were put into exploitation in Danghara District of Khatlon.”   

“To date, 12,590 people are working with enterprises of the ministry and in 2005, more than 3,000 new jobs were created,” Abduqohir Nazirov said.

DUSHANBE


, January 20, Asia-Plus — On Thursday January 19, the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved the Municipal Infrastructure Development Project for


Tajikistan


.

According to information from the World Bank Dushanbe Office, this project aims to help the Government provide accessible, reliable and good quality basic municipal services for the population of the eight participating cities.  Ensuring access to basic municipal services is an important factor in supporting the growth of local economies and reducing poverty.

At present access to basic municipal services, including drinking water supply, solid waste disposal, and wastewater treatment, in


Tajikistan


is often intermittent, if available at all.   Service failures create serious public health risks and carry high economic costs for the population. The Municipal Infrastructure Development Project will therefore provide an opportunity to broaden access and improve the quality of municipal services in the selected towns of the country, thus increasing the quality of life of their populations.

The cities to be served by the project include Danghara, Istaravshan, Konibodom, Kulob, Qurghon Teppa,


Rasht


, Vahdat and Vose.  

The Municipal Infrastructure Development Project includes three components: 1) financing the rehabilitation and repair of facilities and installations and the replacement of equipment needed for delivery of basic municipal services; 2) supporting additional engineering studies that are necessary to define the needed investments and strengthen the institutional capacity of the State Unitary Enterprise of Housing and Communal Services and 3) providing implementation and project management support to the project implementing agency. The key institution, which will be responsible for the overall management and implementation of the project, is the State Unitary Enterprise of Housing and Communal Services.

The project implementation period is five years, commencing in March 2006. It is expected that as a result of the project, access to water supply systems will improve, the frequency of solid waste disposal will increase, the efficiency of basic municipal services in the eight cities will improve, and a higher level of customer satisfaction with the delivery of municipal services will be ensured.

Since 1993, when


Tajikistan


joined the World Bank, commitments to the country total approximately US$390 million for projects approved on both a lending and grant basis. At the moment, the active portfolio of Bank-supported projects consists of 11 investment operations for a total commitment of US$148 million, of which about 35% has been disbursed.

DUSHANBE


, January 20, Asia-Plus — The exchange rate of local currency somoni to the U.S. dollar will have not exceeded 3.24:1, Deputy Finance Minister, Qurbonali Azimov, said speaking to journalist on January 20.  

According to him, 101 million Somonis are supposed to have been allocated this year for the construction of social facilities and facilities of the statewide importance.  “Of this amount, 55 million Somonis will tot toward to investment projects with participation of other countries and international financial institutions (Anzob and Shar-Shar tunnels, Sangtuda-1 hydropower plant a and so forth),” Azimov said.  The remaining 45 million Somonis are supposed to be assimilated on the construction of social facilities, according to him.  

“This year’s budget stipulates expenditure of 336 million Somonis on the education sector, which is 24 percent more than last year,” the deputy finance minister said, adding that the funds will go to paying wages of teachers and students’ allowances (scholarships) as well as providing educational facilities with equipment.    

DUSHANBE, January 20, Asia-Plus — Compared to 2004 population’s incomes increased by 21.1 percent with regard to prices actually in effect and net profit increased by 9.3 percent last year.    

Zokir Vazirov, Minister of Labor and Social Security, told to journalists this on January 20.  According to him, incomes of the population over the first eleven months of 2005 exceeded three million Somonis.    

He also noted that the rate of wage had already been increased.  “Compared to 2004 an average monthly wage in the republic increased by 49 percent from 57 Somonis to 85 Somonis,” said Vazirov, “An average monthly wage in Dushanbe increased from 118 Somonis to 163 Somonis over the first eleven months of 2005, in the districts subordinate to the center (RRP) from 73 Somonis to 101 Somonis, in Sughd Province from 49 Somonis to 60 Somonis, in Khatlon Province from 39 Somonis to 63 Somonis, and in Gorno Badakhshan, an average monthly wage increased from 38 Somonis to 68 Somonis.”

DUSHANBE


, January 20, Asia-Plus – The suspension of the BBC’s services in


Tajikistan


on FM frequencies by the Tajik authorities has not been politically motivated.

Igor Sattorov, head of the Tajik MFA information Department, remarked this speaking to journalists in


Dushanbe


yesterday.  The MFA spokesman told reporters that it was simply a procedural question.  “We are working with the Justice Ministry and the BBC to resolve this,” Sattorov said. 

“It is to be noted that last year amendments were made to the Tajik laws on media and licensing procedures,” said Sattorov, “The BBC should acquire a media license in accordance with these laws.”  “As soon as the issue is resolved the BBC’s local FM radio services will be resumed,” Sattorov said.  “However, the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently examining the situation and considering competence of the Committee for TV and Radio-broadcasting and the Justice Ministry to require the BBC to register with the Justice Ministry,” said Sattorov, “As soon as these issues are cleared we will promote expedient acquirement by the BBC of the broadcasting license.”