DUSHANBE, December 11, 2013, Asia-Plus -- On Wednesday December 11, the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) ratified a supplement to a loan agreement between the Government of Tajikistan and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for the Dushanbe Water Supply Rehabilitation Project.

Speaking at the session, First Deputy Finance Minister, Jamoliddin Nouraliyev, noted that the supplement provided for implementation of the fourth phase of the project.

“A total cost of the project is 2.4 million U.S. dollars, including the IsDB loan carrying an annual interest rate of 2.5 percent. The loan is repayable over 25 years,” the deputy minister said, adding that nine water supply improvement projects to the total amount of 124 million U.S. dollars are currently being implemented in the country.

The main aim of the Water Supply Rehabilitation Project is to enable Dushanbe’s municipal waterworks (Dushanbe Vodokanal of DVK) to continue with the rehabilitation of the Dushanbe water supply system, and allow it to scale up current activities and thereby improve sustainability. The IsDB operation is focused on the reconstruction of above-ground facilities that can be clearly identified and designed, such as the pumping stations, treatment facilities, groundwater well facilities, among others.