KULOB, August 15, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- A full-scale field survey to determine parameters of the basket of goods was launched in Kulob yesterday, Jumakhon Alimi, head of the Kulob NGO Parallax, said in an interview with Asia-Plus. 

According to him, the survey group members include representatives of the National Association of Political Scientists of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.  

“The main objective of the survey is to lobby for the future law on the basket goods,” said Alimi, “In all, 120 households will be surveyed in the city of Kulob and four jamoats of the Kulob district.”

He further added that the group had conducted similar surveys in Khorog, Rasht, and Hissor.  “In September we will conduct surveys in Khujand and Istaravshan”, the Parallax head said, noting that a national forum on this issue is expected to be held in Dushanbe in October.  He expressed hope that a bill on the basket of goods will be submitted for consideration to the parliament in November.  

Alimi said that the project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through international organization Pact.