DUSHANBE, January 9, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- As of January 1, 2013, the number of public servants in Tajikistan was estimated at more than 18,300, Grez Qosimov, the deputy head of the Public Service Directorate under the President of Tajikistan, announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 8.

“More than 11,000 public servants are working in central government bodies and some 7,000 public servants are working with local authorities,” Qosimov said.

According to him, an average monthly wage in the public management system last year was 802.00 somoni (equivalent to some 168.00 U.S. dollars), which was 134 somoni more than in 2011.  The minimum monthly wage in the public management system is 350.00 somoni.

Meanwhile, public servants of higher category receive more than 2,000 somoni per month and their wages depend on record of service, Qosimov said.