DUSHANBE , July 19, Asia-Plus -- In January-June 2006, a total debt on wages has amounted to 26.147 million Somonis, which is 5.4 percent fewer compared to the same period of the last year, Tajik Minister of Labor and Social Security Zokir Vazirov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 18.  

According to him, the country’s production sector, including agriculture, has accounted for 98 percent of these debts.  “In the agrarian sector, a total debt on wages has amounted to 14.8 million Somonis, in the construction sector – 4 million Somonis, in the industrial sector – 3.1 million Somonis,” the minister said, noting that wage debts in the education sector have amounted to some 400,00 Somonis.   

In the regional cross section in January-June 2006 the highest wage debts in an amount of 14.331 million Somonis have been reported in the Khatlon province.  In the districts subordinate to the center the wage debts have amounted to 6.087 million Somonis, Sughd – 4.835 million Somonis, Gorno Badakhshan – 489,500 Somonis, and in Dushanbe – 404,500 Somonis, according to the minister.