31. October 2022

Parliament's Budget Committee to focus on Southern Kyrgyzstan

As a result of the meeting, a decision was made to amend the current year's budget, taking into account the proposals and comments of the deputies

Committee on Budget, Economic and Fiscal Policy of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic during a meeting in the city of Osh heard information from the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic on financing funds for construction and repair work in Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken regions.

In addition, the problems of the budgets of local governments in Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken regions were discussed.

The meeting was attended by committee members, representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers headed by Chairman Akylbek Zhaparov, his deputy Bakyt Torobaev, as well as heads of local governments.

During the meeting, MP Kamila Taliyeva outlined the need to develop an irrigation system, timely harvesting, and ensuring its marketing. MP Emil Toktoshev also called to speed up the tenders for the construction of irrigation canals in the Kara-Kulja region.

It is worth noting that on December 10, 2021, by the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 151, amendments and additions were made to Article 84 of the Water Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, establishing that irrigation, drainage systems and water facilities can be in municipal ownership.

The addition and amendment of the above law, the way is opened for the local governments to regularly provide irrigation water to the lands of local farmers.

During the committee meeting, representatives of 15 aiyl okmotus of Osh and Jalal-Abad regions (Mady, Kyrgyz-Ata, Kenesh, A.Anarov, Saray, Karool, On eki bel, Kyzyl-Oktyabr from Osh region, Shaidan, Masy, Nooken, Seidikum, Kara-Darya, Yrys, Lenin from the Jalal-Abad region) reported that in order to implement this law, they received water facilities from the property of the Water Users Association (WUA) to the municipal property of the aiyl okmotu.

These aiyl okmotus are partners of the IWIP/WAPRO project implemented by Helvetas in Kyrgyzstan.

“Currently, the length of irrigation, drainage systems and water facilities transferred to the common municipal property is 701 km. All internal canals transferred to municipal ownership are earth canals and all need repair and maintenance. Among them are 68.5 km of canals in need of urgent overhaul. If these canals are repaired, 8568 hectares of land will be provided with irrigation water. The repair of 68.5 km of municipal canals will require 273 million soms,” - said during the meeting Azamat Narmatov, head of Masy aiyl okmotu in Jalal-Abad oblast.

Answering questions from deputies, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Akylbek Zhaparov informed that during the coming year it is planned to build 20 medical institutions, 24 schools, as well as create conditions for residents of the cities of Bishkek and Osh. The Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers added that this year funds in the amount of 1 billion soms were allocated for the development of the irrigation system.

As a result of the meeting, a decision was made to amend the current year's budget, taking into account the proposals and comments of the deputies.

The Irrigation Water Integrity project (IWIP) contributes to the reduction of multi-dimensional poverty of the farmers in Osh and Jalalabad Oblasts who depend on irrigation services. In the context of the IWIP, the five multi-poverty dimensions relate to economic, political, socio-cultural, human, economic and resilience capabilities.