DUSHANBE, 16.04.2020. (NIAT Khovar) – Today, the Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation, President Emomali Rahmon presided over an extraordinary meeting.

The discussion covered socio-economic development in the first quarter of 2020, spring planting, industrial development, prevention of coronavirus infection, reducing the negative impact of external factors on the economy, ensuring agricultural security and sufficient food production.

The main reports were delivered by First Deputy Prime minister Davlatali Said, deputies of the Prime Minister Azim Ibrohim and Davlatshoh Gulmahmadzoda, the Agricultural Minister Amonullo Salimzoda, Minister of Industry and Modern Technologies Zarobiddin Faizullozoda, the Minister of Health and Social Protection of Population, the chairmen of provinces, cities and districts regarding prevention of coronavirus infection, spring planting, and landscaping.

While delivering his speech concerning spreading of the coronavirus pandemic President Emomali Rahmon noted that the government has adopted an action plan to prevent and reduce the risk to the national economy, establish countermeasures and a comission on COVID-19.

The instructions were issued to the government regarding the introduction of a tax incentive for supporting socio-economic spheres, small and medium-sized enterprises, certain segments of the population and other vulnerable economic sectors.

The head of state has instructed the Ministry of Finance, the Tax Committee and the Customs Service and the relevant ministries and government agencies, executive bodies of state authority of regions, cities and districts to submit proposals for  reducing the impact of external threats to the economic security and the budget revenues.

The heads of ministries and departments were instructed to take the necessary measures for the effective usage of budgetary funds, paying of social worker salaries, pensions, compensations and benefits, improving the quality of health services, and attracting domestic and foreign investments to national economy, providing interim soft loans to companies, and ensuring the stability of the bank operations.

Other instructions were given to the Antimonopoly Service, the heads of provinces, cities and districts to maintaining price stability.

Speaking on preventing the spread of the pandemic into Tajikistan, President Emomali Rahmon instructed the Ministries of Industry and Modern Technologies and Agriculture to take timely measures to increase the production of essential goods available, especially flour, vegetable oil, rice and other import-substituting products.

However, given the current global situation, he also instructed the Ministry of Agricultural, the chairmen of the provinces and districts to revise the republican plan for sowing crops, especially potatoes, increasing their crop area by more than 40% and repeat sowing at the expense of cereals by more that 60 percent.

The government has also been instructed to quickly establish effective cooperation with interested countries on the possibilities of exporting healthy domestic fruits and importing essential goods to Tajikistan.

At the end of the meeting, President Emomali Rahmon called for the timely fulfillment of the set tasks and instructed government official and government agencies regarding the preparations for the upcoming celebration of the 30th anniversary of independence, as well as disaster risk reduction and reinforcing coastal protection works.