DUSHANBE, 24.01.2024 (NIAT Khovar) –  On January 24, an expanded meeting of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan was held in the building of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan under the chairmanship of the Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Head of the Government of the country Honorable Emomali Rahmon.

The leadership and members of the Government of the country, the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and its structural units, heads of central state bodies, agencies under the President and the Government, republican enterprises and institutions, heads of regions, cities and districts, heads of higher education institutions, centers for the implementation of state investment projects, state and joint-stock banks, official newspapers and magazines and other responsible persons participated in the work of the meeting.

The results of the socio-economic development of the country in 2023 were discussed in detail and the main tasks for 2024 were defined at the expanded meeting of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan.

At first, the report of the Prime Minister of the country, Qohir Rasulzoda, on the results of economic and social development in 2023 was heard at the meeting.

As it was emphasized, 2023 was considered a successful year for the people of Tajikistan, despite the problems of today’s world and their negative impact on the economy of our country, and significant progress was made in the political and socio-economic life of the country.

According to the Prime Minister of the country, the volume of gross domestic product amounted to 130.8 billion TJS in the reporting period, and its growth rate was ensured by 8.3 percent.

The inflation rate was 3.8 percent, which is 0.4 percent less than in 2022.

In 2023, the revenue part of the state budget received 43.2 billion TJS that is by 1.5 billion TJS more than foreseen by the plan.

In the reporting year, 729 new industrial enterprises were put into operation in the country, and the development of the manufacturing of industrial products was ensured.

It was highlighted that in order to ensure the sustainable development of the energy sector and achieve the set goals, 11 state investment projects in the sector in the amount of 15.8 billion TJS were implemented in 2023.

As a result of the measures taken by the Government of the country in the reporting year, the amount of electricity generation in the country compared to 2022 increased by 461 million kW/h.

In the reporting year, the total cost of agricultural products equaled 63 billion TJS, and its growth rate compared to 2022 was equal to 109 percent.

With a view to supporting entrepreneurship and improving the investment climate, the Government of the country has taken a number of measures in recent years by providing tax and customs benefits for the development of domestic production.

In 2023, the country received 29.3 billion TJS of foreign capital, which is by 4.4% more than in 2022.

During this period, the total volume of loans granted by the country’s banking system to the national economy and population increased and made up 19 billion TJS.

During the reporting period, the volume of capital investment amounted to 19.9 billion TJS, which is by 22.5% more than in 2022.

The implementation of 17 investment projects for the total amount of 13 billion TJS in the field of transport made it possible to ensure the development of the sector, and as a result, last year, 121 million tons of cargo and 899.3 million passengers were transported by any means of transport, which is respectively by 16.6 and 9.8 percent more than in 2022.

In 2023, the total volume of trade turnover constituted 56.1 billion TJS, which is by 13.4% more than in 2022.

The volume of paid services in all fields of services in 2023 reached 21.7 billion TJS, which is by 14.1% more than in 2022.

The actions taken by the Government of the country made it possible to increase the turnover of foreign trade by 13.9% compared to 2022.

The Prime Minister of the country stated that during the reporting period, the number of preschool institutions in the republic reached 717, which is by 10 institutions more than in 2022.

For the greater inclusion of children in pre-school education, 2 thousand 111 child development centers with the number of almost 69 thousand children have been established at general education institutions.

In the academic year 2023-2024, there are 3 thousand 991 institutions of general secondary education operating in the country, which makes up 24 more institutions than in the previous academic year.

In order to develop the health sector and timely eliminate the existing problems, in 2023, 3.3 billion TJS were allocated, which is by 26.9% more than in 2022.

The regulation of labor relations, development of the labor market and providing employment to the population occupies a key position in the policy of the Government of Tajikistan.

In the reporting year, 230,000 new jobs were created in the country from all sources.

At the meeting of the Government of the country, the reports of the Minister of Finance Faiziddin Qahhorzoda, the Chairman of the Tax Committee Nusratullo Davlatzoda, the Head of the Customs Service Khurshed Karimzoda and the Director of the Social Insurance and Pension Agency Dilmurod Davlatzoda were heard.

It was reported that as a result of the development of the economy, the creation of new jobs, the improvement of tax administration and services to taxpayers, the implementation of explanatory work on the provisions of tax legislation, the expansion of non-cash settlements through electronic means of payment, the intensification of the digitization process, and other measures taken in 2023, the state budget received 26.8 billion TJS from taxes and internal payments, which is by 1 billion 720.8 million TJS more compared to the foreseen indicators.

The implementation of the plan of taxes and payments in the country was ensured, including Badakhshan Mountainous Autonomous Province in the amount of 104.8%, Khatlon Province — 105.1%, Sughd Province — 104.5%, Dushanbe City — 104.8% and republican subordinate cities and districts in general — 100.9%.

Regarding the results of the activities of the customs and tax authorities, the Social Insurance and Pension Agency, after hearing the report of their leadership, the Honorable Head of State Emomali Rahmon, gave strict instructions in order to increase the indicators of the implementation of the plan for customs payments, the elimination of tax debts, the payment of pensions and social insurance, and the transfer of all financial relations in these branches to electronic form.

At the meeting of the Government of the country, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Tajikistan Yusuf Rahmon, Director of the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption Sulaymon Sultonzoda and Chairman of the Chamber of Accounts Qarakhon Chillazoda reported about the activity of control and inspection bodies in the direction of crime prevention, elimination of violations in the economic and social spheres and mandatory compliance with acting laws of the country.

It was instructed that the bodies of prosecution, state financial control and combating corruption and the Chamber of Accounts take timely and immediate measures to prevent cases of non-compliance with the country’s legislation on land use, regulation of celebrations and ceremonies and other areas.

In the continuation of the meeting of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Chairman of the State Committee for Investment and State Property Management, Saadi Qodirzoda, gave a report.

Also, at the meeting of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan Tolibzoda Firdavs and the Chairman of the State Savings Bank of the Republic of Tajikistan «Amonatbank» Salimzoda Alijon gave reports on banking and monetary policy.

The leadership of the State Committee for Investment and State Property Management, the National Bank and other state and joint-stock banks were instructed to take specific measures to attract domestic and foreign investments to the national economy, especially direct investments, maintain a stable exchange rate of the national currency, increase the volume of lending, transfer all financial and banking relations to non-cash and fully electronic forms.

In the continuation of the Government meeting, the Minister of Industry and New Technologies Sherali Kabir gave a report.

It was emphasized that declaring 2022-2026 as «Years of Industrial Development» laid a solid foundation for the implementation of the process of rapid industrialization of the country.

In 2023, new industrial plants and factories were put into use in the country with the creation of more than 4.8 thousand new jobs, and the production volume of industrial products increased by 12.0 percent compared to the previous year.

The Head of State Emomali Rahmon assigned the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies for the practical implementation of one of the strategic goals — the rapid industrialization of the country through the introduction of new production capacities, the activation of stagnant capacities, and the prevention of the process of shutting down industrial enterprises, increasing the production of competitive import-substituting and export-oriented goods and products, raising the number of small production enterprises and workshops in cities and districts, especially in the direction of fruit and vegetable processing and ensuring the orderly activity of industrial enterprises, and to launch the production of school uniforms taking into account the requirements of the domestic market.

The Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma and the leaders of the industry companies were given specific instructions for the timely and high-quality implementation of projects to reduce the loss of electricity in the cities and districts of the country, the introduction of a billing system and full accounting of electricity users, the timely collection of the payments from the population and organizations and enterprises, and the creation of alternative capacities for power generation.

At the meeting of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the report of the Minister of Transport Azim Ibrohim on the results of work in 2023 was heard.

Honorable Head of State Emomali Rahmon ordered that the Ministry of Transport, together with relevant ministries and agencies, executive bodies of state power, take necessary measures to speed up the process of digitalization of the field of motor transport, wide use of electric transport and launch of infrastructure for electric transport.

Other instructions were given to the Ministry of Transport on the reconstruction of the railway rolling stock, the purchase of modern passenger carriages, including cargo coaches and locomotives.

The Minister of Agriculture Qurbon Hakimzoda, Chairman of the Environmental Protection Committee Bahodur Sheralizoda and Director of the Forestry Agency under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan Abdujabbor Yusufzoda reported on the purposeful use of land, bringing new land into the agricultural cycle, increasing the production of agricultural products and exporting them abroad, development of the field of poultry breeding, animal husbandry, breeding, fisheries, crop and vegetable growing, plant breeding, timely cultivation of land, use of high-quality seeds and mineral fertilizers, as well as consequences of climate change, ecological situation and other related issues.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Agency for Land Reclamation and Irrigation, the Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the local executive bodies of state power were instructed in connection with the comprehensive preparation for the spring planting season, especially in the direction of effective use of every inch of land, taking into account the lack of rain and drought this year, timely freezing, preparation of water pumping stations, improvement of land reclamation, compliance with agrotechnical rules, increasing the productivity of agricultural crops and taking 3-4 harvests from irrigated lands, planting seedlings, providing agricultural farms with high-quality seeds of agricultural crops, including seeds of high-reproduction cereal crops, as well as climate-adapted seeds and cultivation of regionalized varieties of agricultural crops.

The Minister of Education and Science Rahim Saidzoda, Minister of Health and Social Protection of the Population Jamoliddin Abdullozoda, President of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan Khushvakhtzoda Qobiljon and Chairman of the Committee on Primary and Secondary Vocational Education under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan Rahimi Farhod were entrusted to improve the quality of education, develop and publish quality textbooks and educational materials, set up construction of new and modern schools, promotion and encouragement of healthy lifestyle, construction and renovation of medical facilities and health centers, as well as providing employment to people in localities and development of crafts and handicrafts.

The Chairman of Dushanbe City Honorable Rustami Emomali stated in his report that in 2023, the executive authorities of the city of Dushanbe undertook a number of constructive measures to implement the strategic goals of the country and, in this context, increase the well-being of the residents of the capital, as well as introduce the city of Dushanbe into a new stage of development. Thus, more than 41 thousand new jobs were created, and over the last two years more than 83 thousand new jobs were created.

With the implementation of targeted activities, more than 6,000 women were provided with permanent jobs last year, and more than 3,000 of them completed vocational training courses in various specialties.

According to the Chairman of Dushanbe, Rustami Emomali, the development of the gross regional product was mainly due to the increase in the production of industrial products by 121%, trade by 112%, paid services by 120%, capital investment by 107%, cargo transportation by 116%, and passenger transportation by 105%.

Within the framework of the strategic goal of rapid industrialization of the country, the process of building industrial enterprises in this period has gained a new expansion, and in this period, the industrial enterprises of the city have manufactured products worth 4.2 billion TJS.

Construction accounted for 12 percent of the city’s gross domestic product, and last year more than 5,200 residents were provided with permanent jobs and 16,000 with temporary jobs and decent wages.

In 2023, more than 550 thousand square meters and in the last seven years 2.7 million square meters of residential houses were commissioned, which is an unprecedented achievement in the era of independence and is 2.1 million square meters more than 7 years ago.

Currently, the construction of more than 407 facilities and buildings of various purposes is underway within the framework of the city’s general plan.

The issues of improving the conditions of educational institutions, increasing the quality of education, the level of knowledge of students and the professional level of teachers are under the constant care and support of the city leadership, — the Mayor of Dushanbe said.

In 2023, 6 educational institutions for 10 thousand 300 seats and 3 pre-school institutions for more than 410 seats were built and put into operation in the city.

In the last 7 years, 42 educational institutions with 70 thousand seats and 22 preschool institutions for more than 3 thousand pupils were built.

Currently, the construction of 13 more general secondary education institutions with 28,000 seats and 55 preschool institutions for 10,000 pupils is ongoing in the city.

In 2024, it is planned to commission 5 educational institutions with 6400 seats per shift.

The Chairman of Badakhshan Mountainous Autonomous Province Alisher Mirzonabot, the Chairman of Sughd Province Rajabboy Ahmadzoda and the Chairman of Khatlon Province Davlatali Said reported on the results of economic and social development of regions, cities and districts in 2023.

The Head of State Emomali Rahmon gave specific instructions to the heads of regions and cities and districts of the country on the expansion of the preparation process for the celebration of the 35th anniversary of state independence, implementation of the indicators of the Address of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Parliament, development and implementation of the action plan related to the implementation of the «Years of Industrial Development, 2022-2026», timely solution of the people’s appeals and complaints, business support, strengthening cooperation with the private sector, ensuring sustainable economic and social development, raising the volume of production of industrial and agricultural products, increasing the volume of their export, strengthening the activities of educational, health and cultural institutions.

At the end of the expanded meeting of the Government, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, summing up the results of the activities of all sectors of the national economy, as well as regarding the results of the economic and social development of the country in 2023 and the tasks for 2024, gave specific instructions and orders to the members of the Government, the Executive Office of the President, heads of ministries and agencies, regions, cities and districts, and other state bodies to eliminate existing shortcomings, implement the indicators of the Address of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, develop and implement a plan of activities to ensure the progress and development of industries and regions of the country, and delivered a speech in the presence of the participants of the meeting.