The expanded sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers focused on the results in Turkmenistan’s development in the first half of 2008 vividly illustrates social orientation of national economic development filling the principle “a state for the people” with the new concrete content expressed in the figures, facts, documents and short-range and long-range plans.

The statistic data presented at the sitting included some indicators testifying to the increased welfare of the Turkmen people. Thus, production of meat, milk, eggs processed and canned fish, flour and macaroni products increased. The amount of retail turnover exceeded four times as against that in the first half of 2007. The average salary increased by 15 percent and the consumer price index decreased by 1.5 percent evening June. The stable growth of the financial and economic indicators laid the foundation for increasing salaries, pensions and benefits by 10 percent average. In this regard the President instructed the relevant high-ranking officials to draft the relevant projects within the one-month period.

Emphasizing that a priority of the national policy was the concern for the people the Turkmen leader focused on the national programme on rural development. To achieve the programme goals a number of the social facilities including apartment houses, the buildings of schools, kindergartens provided with modern computer equipment and an access to the internet, children’s health-improving centres have been constructed. The social development programmes are successfully implemented in the Ruhubelent, Dovletli, Altyn Sakhra Etraps. The shortcomings in implementing the programme were discussed at the sitting as well. Despite the increased use of investments in the first half year the amount of work performed made up about one third of the annual amount, the current pace of housing construction and mortgage lending do not satisfy the people’s needs yet.

At present, two more programmes are under development in Turkmenistan: the Ministry of Economy and Development is working on the draft programme aimed at providing the people of Turkmenistan with food products for the nearest five year and the draft programme on youth employment till 2017 – in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and other ministries concerned. Both documents reflect the national priorities. Achievement of the abundance of high-quality domestically produced food products is closely interrelated with development of agricultural sector and efficient use of water resources, and these goals were a focus of the meeting. In particular, the President reaffirmed that the Government would keep heavy investing in agro-industrial sector and agrarian science, rural areas and training of highly qualified agricultural specialists and buying agricultural machines and equipment. The youth employment programme is an aspect of the country’s strategic stake on its younger generation, in whose integrated development Turkmenistan intends to heavily invest viewing it as a contribution to the progress and reliable future of the nation.

This future is the basis of the conceptions on social and economic development of the Ahal, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary Velayat and Ashgabat approved by the President. It is brought closer by each new project and undertaking discussed at the sitting. For example, 35 four-storey apartment houses will have been constructed in Ashgabat and Abadan by the end of this year, the building of a cinema with two auditoriums, cafes, shop and internet-café will spring up on Magtymguly Avenue. 8 sport and health-improving centre will be the wonderful presents for the people of the Balkan Velayat – two of them with swimming pools will be constructed in Balkanabat and the others in the towns of oKhazar, Turkmenbabsi, Serdar, Bereket and the Etrek etrap. A gas turbine power station with the capacity of 254.2 MWt will ensure uninterrupted electric power supply to the administrative centre of the velayat. In accordance with the relevant resolutions of the President the Government will allocate the substantial funds for these social projects: about 138 million euros for a gas turbine station, about 6 million euros and over US$ 10.5 million for sports and health-improving centres, about US$ 100 million and 600 billion manats for apartment houses.

The resolutions aimed at developing modern social infrastructure are a major part of the documents issued during the sitting confirming the Turkmen leader’s statement that Turkmenistan’s domestic and foreign policies have the common aim – the welfare and happiness of the Turkmen people. On a large scale, the other issues considered at the big governmental meeting, the decisions and resolutions taken were viewed in the light of the people’s interests and social feeling. As implementation of the programmes on development and planting of greenery in the capital and regions, creation of incentives for entrepreneurship in the country and saturation of the domestic food market, enhancement of traffic safety, development of national construction industry and remuneration of high-quality labour equal to that of foreign specialists to Turkmen builders, propagation of the historical, spiritual and everyday culture of the Turkmen people through conducting international conference and contests of cooking traditional Turkmen dishes, establishment of the new professional holiday – Day of Cultural Workers and Artists and many other measures are taken for the people, for their comfort and to satisfy their material and intellectual needs.