DUSHANBE, October 23, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan’s national budget for 2010 earmarks 650 million somoni (equivalent to more than 148 million U.S. dollars) for the Roghun hydroelectricity project, which is 135 million somoni more than last year, Minister of Finance Safarali Najmiddinov told reporters in Dushanbe today.

According to him, this year’s budget also earmarks 30 million somoni for implementation of other energy projects.  “20 million somoni will be allocated for construction of the Sangtuda-2 hydropower plant and 10 million somoni are intended for construction of small power plants and conducing feasibility study for construction of the Shurob HPP,” the minister said.

In all, 1.073 billion somoni are earmarked by the national bank for 2010 for enhancement of the country’s energy sector, he added.