NEWS
NEW STEPS TOWARDS ACHIEVING TOP-PRIORITY SOCIAL OBJECTIVES
The enlarged session of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, which summed up this year’s six month state-of-the-economy results and identified top-priority objectives, also focused on different aspects of the social policy. This invariably remains a top priority for the Turkmen state, which has been taking different measures, including unprecedented ones, to provide social support to the population, and has been heavily investing in human capital development since shortly after its independence. The long-standing practice of raising wages, pensions, students’ monthly allowances, and social security benefits every year, large-scale residential construction projects, and the development of social infrastructure, the service sector, etc. are aimed to provide quality-of-life improvements to the people of Turkmenistan.
In 2007, Turkmenistan adopted the wide-ranging National Program for improving social conditions of the population of villages, settlements, etrap towns and etrap centers until 2020. As part of it, hundreds of social facilities, millions of square meters of living space, tens of thousands of kilometers of water supply and sewer lines, roads, power transmission lines, and gas pipelines were built countrywide. New villages with modern social infrastructure were constructed as well.
In June of 2019, construction of new modern settlements began in the country’s three regions: Lebap, Mary and Dashoguz velayats. Residential complexes for thousands of families, schools, kindergartens, health houses, public amenities centers, parking areas, and sports facilities are now being built there. As President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlights, the regional development strategy is a key factor contributing to any country’s progress, therefore the new National Rural Program of Turkmenistan until 2025 seeks to invest as massively as possible for the these purposes.
During the enlarged Cabinet session, the head of state identified drafting the 2022 Building Program among high-priority tasks and said: “We have begun to build new villages and settlements, and have to proceed apace despite difficulties. In line with the National Rural Program, more than 1 billion manats in capital investment were utilized effectively; 32 large projects were completed, 325, 000 square meters of living space, including residential buildings with a high standard of comfort worth over 640 million manats, were put into operation during the running year’s six months. All industrial facilities, kindergartens, schools, shops, etc. were completed right on schedule and opened officially.
The President of Turkmenistan stressed that substantial resources should be allocated for the development of education. World practices show that enormous investments in education have helped to transform countries into developed ones. The efficient use of state funds for the education system modernization, in particular higher and vocational education, to meet present-day and future production needs, will help to improve professional skills of specialists and enhance the country’s human capital. The efforts will provide a stimulating environment for economic growth in Turkmenistan, its further integration into the global economy, and given labor market demands, will contribute to improved living standards for qualified professionals through higher incomes.
Touching on next year’s draft State Budget, the President of Turkmenistan commissioned to make provisions in the budget estimates for an increase in wages, pensions, students’ monthly allowances, public welfare payments, and some social benefits. As emphasized, expenses for residential construction in every etrap and city for those with housing needs should be also provided for in the State Budget. The head of state also focused attention on the need to fully implement the adopted job creation program, having noted that the issues would be considered separately at the end of the year.
Ogulgozel Rejepova