DUSHANBE, September 28, Asia-Plus — The government considered more than 40 issues at a September 28 meeting presided over by President Emomali Rahmon, presidential press service reported.  

The session, in particular, considered indices of forecast of socioeconomic development of the country for 2008 and main parameters of the forecast for 2009-2010.     

 Under these documents, gross domestic product (GDP) is planned to reach 14.8 billion somonis in 2008, 17.42 billion somonis in 2009 and 20.5 billion somonis in 2010.  Year-on-year increase in GDP is expected to stand at 7 percent.  

President Rahmon noted that special attention should be paid to development of hydropower, light and food industries, launch of joint ventures for processing cotton fiber, fruits and vegetable, increase in cattle stock.  

The session passed the forecast for 2008 and endorsed forecasts for 2009 and 2010.  

The government also considered in detailed a bill on the national budget for 2008. 

President Rahmon noted that the country’s GDP rose 7.8 percent in the year to September 1, 2007, reaching 7.28 billion somonis.  The head of state stressed that by the end of this year, GDP should reach 12.2 billion somonis.

Finance Minister Safarali Najmuddinov reporting on the draft budget for 2008 noted that the 2008 budget is predicted to stand at 4.476 billion somonis, which is 1.281 billion somonis or 63 percent more than the budget for this year and makes 30.2 percent of GDP.    

The minister noted that the draft budget indicators reflect the economic and social development of the country.  Social spending will account for 1.593 billion somonis of budget allocations, which 489 million somonis or 45 percent more than this year.

The budget projects expenditure of 691.248 million somonis in the education sector, which is 47percent more than this year. 

In 2008, 256.759 million somonis are expected to be spent on the health sector, 44 percent more than in 2007.   

The budget earmarks 469.829 million somonis for social security of the population.

The session also endorsed a procedure of expenditure of funds of national insurance for organization of rest and improvement of health of employees and their families in 2008 and list of imported farming machines, which are exempted from VAT.

The government also considered bills on account indices and mortgage as well as amendments to the laws on consumer cooperative societies, land management, narcotics, psychotropic substances and precursors and sent them to the parliament.   

Besides, the government approved draft cooperation agreements between the culture and labor ministries of Tajikistan and Armenia. 

The government also endorsed the concept of Tajikistan’s transition to sustainable development, the program of development of livestock breeding for 2008-2015, the national plan of fulfillment of Tajikistan’s obligations on the Stockholm convention on persistent organic polluters, the plan of implementation of the concept of social security of the population, the regulations on traffic victims support centers, rules of capitation financing of general schools, as well as coordination commission for legalization of property under the Tajik government and regulations on this commission.  

Dwelling on the legalization of property issues, President Rahmon charged relevant bodies to carry out explanatory work on this event among the population.  

The head of state also set tasks on putting in good order use of farmland, cotton-harvesting campaign, procurement of seeds of cereals, cotton, potatoes and other agricultural crops, preparations to ensure regular work of the country’s economy in the winter.  

He, in particular, demanded at the meeting that all ‘presidential’ lands that have not been used over the past two years should be returned to the government.