DUSHANBE, April 7, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Speaking at an April 6 enlarged government session, President Emomali Rahmon urged head of the investment project implementation units (PIU) to regularly report on the report done.

In a report released at the meeting, the head of the State Committee for Investments and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest) Farrukh Hamraliyev noted that 56 investment projects for a total amount of 4.6 billion somoni, with 74 percent of this amount being preferential and long-term loans, have been implemented in the country.  “Grants constitute 15 percent of this amount and contribution of the government makes 11 percent,” he said, noting that 298 million somoni have been spent over the first quarter of this year mainly for enhancement of energy and transport communications sectors.

The GosKomInvest head noted that 545 million somoni had gone to funding the second and third phases of the Dushanbe-Saritosh road rehabilitation project.

“The project to construct a 220kV power transmission line from Tajikistan to Afghanistan that costs 205 million somoni is scheduled to be finished in 20101; however, only 6 percent of work has been carried out by April1,” Hamraliyev said.

He also noted that nine investment projects for a total amount of 2 billion somoni, which is 32 percent of the overall volume of investments, have been implemented in the transport communications (construction and rehabilitation of roads) sector.

President Rahmon charged the PIU heads to take adequate measures to ensure opportune and targeted use of funds.  He also urged the PIU heads to report regularly on the work done.

Rahmon, in particular, noted that crisis had resulted prices of some building materials and equipment decreasing, while budgets of the projects had been determined before the crisis.  “Therefore, the cost of the projects should be lower than it was originally planned.  I ask to use the saved funds to improve the quality of work and build additional infrastructure to the facilities under construction,” the president said.