OREANDA-NEWS. February 15, 2011. Large-scale transformations launched to achieve the goals of the National Programme for improvement of the social and living conditions in villages, settlement, towns in etraps and etrap centres for the period up to 2020 rapidly change the appearance of towns and villages of the country and establish new standards of living.

New settlements are to exemplify modern standards in the construction sector and improved social and living conditions. These include Garlyk settlement founded in Lebap in early February this year.

If speaking the language of numbers, under this programme 54 social facilities were built, 57 kilometres of water supply networks and 66 kilometres of sewer were laid.

In general, the scope of construction work throughout Turkmenistan will be widened significantly this year and include 102 large-scale facilities; the volume of investment to be used for this purpose will make up USD 6.2 billion. Ambitious construction projects amounting USD 767 million are be implemented under the programmes for improvement of social and living conditions in rural areas.

The strategic aspect of the national rural development programme is to raise the status of many settlements, the population of which has increased several times in recent years. For example, such settlements as Esenguly, Bereket, Serdar, Belek (Balkan Velayat), Ruhubelent (Dashoguz Velayat) Dovletli, Garlyk (Lebap Velayat), Altyn Sahra, Uchajy (Mary Velayat) are able to ‘grow up’ into towns. Necessary infrastructure will be developed through implementing the comprehensive rural development projects.

So, a new kindergarten for 160 children, school for 600 children, cultural centre and chemist’s shop will be built in Uchajy in the near future. Future new constructions include a hotel for 50 visitors with camping, two mini-plants for processing livestock products, including tanning shops will be constructed for. The projects to be implemented include construction of new roads, reconstruction of the railway station and provision local population with drinking water.

Apartment houses, administrative building, kindergarten for 160 children, a school for 320 children and sports school for 365 children, shopping centre, cultural centre, post office with the communication centre for 500 subscribers, bus terminal, large park with an amphitheatre – a total of 17 facilities will appear in the newly established Garlyk settlement at the first stage of construction. To provide the settlement with gas the Bagtyyarlyk-Garlyk high pressure gas pipeline will be built. A rapid economic growth of the settlement will be ensured through construction of a new industrial giant – the ore-dressing and processing enterprise in the region. The second stage of the Garlyk settlement development plan stipulates for construction of water treating facility, stadium, plants producing meat and dairy products and confectionery and other facilities along with apartment houses

Widening the scope of construction works, Turkmenistan takes the measures to expand and strengthen the material and technical base of the building materials industry. Particular attention is paid to development of the building industry and increase in production of building materials based from local resources. Turkmenistan is rich in almost all kinds of mineral resources required to develop production of building materials, including building stone, sand and gravel, mortar sand, gypsum and anhydrite, raw materials for bricks, cement, etc.

Tenders for construction of facilities and buildings are announced for Turkmen and foreign construction companies. One of the tender terms for foreign companies and firms is employment of local specialists.

Construction of main traffic arteries is to speed up significantly the fulfilment of rural development programmes. So, the Ashgabat-Dashoguz railway laid across the Karakum Desert and the Atamurat-Kerkichi railway bridge, which are of strategic importance for Turkmen economy, are to contribute to accelerating development of abundant natural resources of the right bank of the Amu Darya River and construction of the railway stations in Kerkichi, Amu, Kelif, Mukry and Azatlyk.

Construction and reconstruction of the highways Ashgabat-Turkmenbashi, Turkmenabat-Dashoguz, Ashgabat-Karakum-Dashoguz and Ashgabat-Mary-Turkmenabat-Farab have broad prospects for development of the regions of the country.

To guarantee the high standards of living to everyone, to make them a norm in cities as well as villages is the ultimate goal of the social policy of the Turkmen state.