President Emomali Rahmon yesterday held an extraordinary government session to discuss socioeconomic situation as well as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its effects on the country, according to the Tajik president’s official website.   

Speaking at the meeting, the head of state reportedly ordered to take specific measures to ensure regular work of the country’s economy, systematic introduction of loan and tax benefits to support socio-economic spheres, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and separate sections of the population.  

Senior representatives of central and local government were ordered to effectively use existing resources and opportunities to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection in the country and intensify explanatory work among the population on keeping their homes clean.  

According to official data, no confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported in the country yet.  

The Ministry Finance, Tax Committee, Customs Service, relevant ministries and agencies were ordered to submit their proposals on reducing negative impact of external threats on the county’s economy to the government as well as use additional opportunities and resources.  

Heads of ministries and agencies were ordered to take measures to provide economical use of budgetary funds, prevent repeated and untargeted expenditures, ensure full payment of salaries to employees of social spheres as well as pensions and allowances, improve medical services, regulate currency market, and stabilize the exchange rate of the national currency.

They were also ordered to take adequate measures to provide stable activities of banks.  

The antimonopoly agency and heads of provinces, cities and districts were ordered to prevent artificial price hikes, especially for basic products, and stabilize prices in food market.  

Heads of provinces, cities and districts to organize explanatory work among farming units and the population on organizing timely planting of crops, making two-year food stocks for each family, and creating greenhouses, especially on presidential lands and even on household plots.

The head of state also ordered the government to establish collaboration with leaders of interested countries on the possibility of exporting Tajik fruits and vegetables to those countries and importing essential goods from them into Tajikistan.