TO KEEP VILLAGES INFORMED AND TO CLARIFY STATE POLICY

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
February 02, 2009

On January 31, the Prime Minister called a working conference with the
participation of Government members. The Prime Minister charged those
present with a task to participate in the community meetings envisaged
for February and to listen to the accounts rendered by community heads.

Ara Haroutyunyan is dissatisfied with the regional administration
and community heads’ work on rendering the state programmes to
the population in time and properly. The major part of villagers is
unaware of the programmes implemented by the state. This is confirmed
by the questions raised at the meetings of the Republic Heads with the
inhabitants. The Prime Minister anticipates changes for the better in
state policy preaching from the participation of Government members
in the community accounting meetings.

It was noted at the conference that the low level of the farmers’
awareness hinders from the implementation of agricultural
programmes. They refuse to cultivate land and avoid agricultural
works contrary to the support provided by the state. The Prime
Minister charged the Government members with a task to give thorough
clarifications of the arrangements implemented by the state to the
inhabitants. Especially, an emphasis will be put on agricultural
programmes.

The Minister of Agriculture Armo Tsatryan presented to the participants
of the conference the important arrangements to be implemented in the
sphere of agriculture in 2009. The state will continue to spur grain
production, 350 mln drams will be allotted to fallowing works. Support
will be given to those cultivating maize and to the tenants fallowing
state reserve lands. 3 thousand tons of nitric fertilizer and about
300 tons of potato plantings will be rendered to land users in the
form of interest-free credit. Credit means will be allotted to the
development of cattle-breeding, and rendering new village machinery in
leasing order will continue. Credit means are anticipated for storing
up and reprocessing agricultural products, for developing industrial
infrastructures. After the Stepanakert milk industrial complex starts
anew, milk reception and freezing centres will be created.

The stable system of irrigation will allow to irrigate 12 thousand
hectares of arable land. The Prime Minister clarified once more
that together with comprehensive programmes the state cannot get
engaged into community problems as well. The reconstruction works of
houses and roads, and other works should be carried out at their own
expense. According to the assurance of the Head of Government, the
direct contacts of Government members with villagers will contribute
to the process of revealing the problems existing in communities
and presenting the state policy to the inhabitants in a correct and
literate way.

A schedule, according to which representatives of the Government will
pay visits to villages during the forthcoming days, was affirmed.