Georgian PM on rural support programme: “This is one of my favourite projects”
Bakhtadze said that village decides what projects should be implemented and where the money should be spent. Photo: PM's press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has praised the government’s rural support programme, aimed at supporting rural development across Georgia and said this is “one of his favourite programmes”.
The programme resumed after a two-year pause and by 1 March, the rural communities of 3,700 villages all over Georgia will decide with the government what projects are most important for their particular area.
Bakhtadze said that the programme has “a very good format”.
Within the programme we have received much good advice and recommendations about how can we improve our regional management policy”, said Bakhtadze.
People living in the village of Khurvaleti, alongside the occupation line of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), have already made a decision and want to have a sports facility.
New barbed wire installations, erected by Russian occupation troops in central Georgia's Khurvaleti village, split the gardens and yards of local residents last week.
Following the decisions of Khurvaleti inhabitants two projects will be implemented in the village this year. The first is a sports facility which will be erected in an abandoned building in the village and also a children’s park will be made on the square.
To note, the amount allocated for the programme has been doubled to 40 million GEL (about $15.05m/€13.14).
Bakhtadze said that village decides where the money should be spent.
We are establishing a very good practice. State officials should implement those decision that the citizens make and this case a village as villages are aware of local needs and requirements”, said Bakhtadze.
State officials have already met people of 1,000 villages to find out their priorities and particular projects.
Residents of Georgian villages will receive twice as much funding as was previously allocated within the within the framework of a special government programme aimed at supporting rural development in Georgia.
Locals to choose how to spend the budget
A government programme aimed at supporting rural development across Georgia has resumed after a two-year pause.
The Georgian government will continue to support Georgia’s high mountain regions to improve infrastructure and conditions for those living there in a bid to reduce migration from rural areas to the city.
A total of 66 million GEL will be spent on developing mountainous regions in Georgia, to improve infrastructure and conditions for those living there. The money is allocated by the National Council for Mountain Development and the Fund for the Development of the Highlands of Georgia will be spent on projects that are included to Georgia’s new mountain development strategy.
A total of 28 projects have been completed in six Georgian municipalities through a government programme that aims supporting rural development.
Internet was made available in Georgian village of Roshka, Khevsureti region yesterday as part of a large-scale government internetization programme. Minister Turnava said the locals are provided with free trainings on how to place information on their guesthouses on international tourist websites.
Of 4,808 infrastructure projects selected by citizens in the government’s rural support programme for this year, 3,212 have already been completed, while the rest of the infrastructure projects are underway and will be completed by the end of the year, the Ministry of Infrastructure has stated earlier today.
Georgian government is allocating 40 million GEL ($13.9 mln/€12.5 mln) in 2020 in the framework of government’s rural support programme to finance the projects being implemented in rural areas of Georgia.