DUSHANBE, 28.10.2021 (NIAT Khovar) – Following his working trip to Dusti, the Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon visited the Jaloliddini Balkhi district, where he inspected the process of harvesting rice in the Kuhi Surkh farm.

The farm was established in 2010, and along with growing other crops it specializes in growing rice. The district has allocated a total of 150 hectares for rice.

President Rahmon also attended the opening ceremony of the five story district museum in Balkhi, which was built to commemorate the 30th anniversary of independence and within the framework of the Period of Rural Development, Tourism and Folk Crafts. The museum includes nearly 3,000 items.

It covers different periods of the history of the Tajik nation, from the 6 BC to the present day, and the historical heritage of Kofir Kala or Halevard which date back to 6th-7th centuries before our era.

Archaeological excavations at Kofir Kala have revealed a large number of Buddhist artifacts inside the ditches and dwellings.

Other interesting exhibits presented in the museum are stalactites that are 3 million years old, ancient spears, taxidermy of rare specimens of animals listed in the Red Book, jugs from the Bronze Age, jugs from the Kushan period, and dozens of other items which tell the tale of Tajik heritage.

In addition, President Rahmon opened a new drinking water supply line which provides water to 5,000 households or about 20,000 people of Balkhi.

The project wasimplemented by the government of Tajikistan and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. It cost over $5.9 million under the Jaloliddini Balkhi District Water Supply Rehabilitation Project.

This measure was implemented within the framework of the International Decade for Action — Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028.

While meeting with 150 orphans and vulnerable children with disabilities, President Rahmon presented them with winter clothes and other necessary items and also attended the Mehrgon holiday.

Concluding his tour, he also held a meeting with the local public representatives of Khatlon Province. He noted that in accordance with the approved action plan commemorating the 30th anniversary of state independence in the region, 7,667 facilities have been earmarked for construction or renovation, which is 31% of the total plan of works in the country.

Speaking about the steady development of the industrial sector of Balkhi, President Rahmon noted that since independence the number of enterprises in the province has reached 631 units. In the first nine months of this year, 22 new industrial enterprises have been launched in the region.

Currently, five public investment projects on road construction worth 4.7 billion somoni are currently being implemented in the region, within the framework of which 219 km of roads of international and national importance as well as three tunnels and 25 bridges will be built.

Two hydropower plants with the capacity of 890 MW, 37 small hydropower plants with the capacity of 1,654 kWh, 290 kilometers of 220-kV power transmission lines, four new 220-kV substations, and other energy infrastructure totaling 12.6 billion somoni have so far been commissioned in province. Currently, seven more energy projects totaling 9 billion somoni are underway.