KHUJAND, August 10, 2012, Asia-Plus -- Over the first six months of this year, physical entities, primarily labor migrants working in the Russian Federation, have remitted 438 million U.S. dollars to banks in the Tajik northern Sughd province, which is 17.7 percent or 58 million U.S. dollars more than in the same period last year, an official source at the National bank of Tajikistan (NBT)’s office in Khujand told Asia-Plus today.

In January-June of 2011, physical entities remitted 380 million U.S. dollars to local banks, the source added.

Labor migrants remain a critical component in the economy of Tajikistan and remittances keep many struggling families at home above the poverty line.