The members of the Government presented the report of two-year activities to the population of Samtskhe-Jabakheti, non-government sector and local media at the meeting held in Akhaltsikhe.
Heads of the ministries discussed the projects implemented for the past 2 years and planned projects in the region by their agencies in detail. In addition the governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti region Akakai Machutadze presented the report of one-year activities. Presentation of the reports f central and local Government is ongoing within the project "Georgian Government for open governance", reports GHN based on press service of the Prime Minister.
As the governor stated at the meeting economic potential of the region, its geographic location, perspectives of development of trans-border alliance give actual opportunities to make this region one of the economically developed regions. International projects were launched in the region for two years such as Zikilia power transmitting line and Paravani hydro power plant; construction of Rustavi hydro power plant, railway road of Karsi-Akhalkalaki are ongoing; by 2015 another border checkpoint will be also launched with Turkey - in the direction of Kartsakhi. In Bakuriani within the project of Didveli development the project of artificial snow has already launched.
There are 30 new objects in terms of private business for the past two years. These are hotels, milk processing enterprises, trout farms, within the cheap credit 4 objects are extended - in meat and milk production.
According to Akaki Chutadze, from 2015 with the support of the Georgian Government the program of activating tourist potential will start in Samtskhe-Javakheti, in this regard the investment of 30 million dollars is considered by the World Bank. A meeting was already held in the regional administration where 14 projects developed by experts were discussed, these are: rehabilitation of Abastumani cultural inheritance monuments, Zarzma, Saro-Khizabavri halls, Tmogvi and Vani caves, Akhalkalaki castle, Abastumany observatory internal roads, the road to Sapari Monastery, Sairme-Abastumani road, etc.
According to the deputy minister of regional development and infrastructure of Georgia only in 2014 600 infrastructure projects were implemented through financing by the fund of projects to be implemented in the region, state and local budgets and funds the total amount of which is 22 412 292 GEL.
As the deputy minister of agriculture of Georgia Gocha Tsopurishvili stated at the report presentation, like other regions of the country the state program of the farmers with small lands is also successful in Samtskhe-Javakheti. In 2013-2014 90 592 agricultural cards were given in the region. Within the second component of preferential agro-credit project 15 460 440 GEL is given to 129 beneficiaries; and within the third component 36 loans are given. This year 36 cooperatives were established and successfully operate this year in Samtskhe-Javakheti. Within the cheap credit cold storage enterprise was opened in village Tsnisi. As regards cattle-breeding 34 meat and milk processing enterprises operate in the region. With the food safety service the regional administration took measures this year especially for the purpose of cattle disease prevention and isolation of identified areas.
At the meeting with the population of Samtskhe-Javakheti special attention was paid to the programs implemented in healthcare sector. Within the universal healthcare state program initiated on February 28, 2013 4 301 242 GEL was spent from the central budget on the population of Samtskhe-Javakheti region. In addition, this year in the regional municipalities co-funding of planned and urgent surgeries from the local budgets and stationary service amounted to 587 689 GEL. 1 034 beneficiaries were funded. In 2014 in Samtskhe-Javakheti region 6 ambulatories were built, and the part was repaired. Besides it is important that on May 1, 2014 salaries of village doctors and nurses increased by 30%. Regional emergency services will be given 13 off-road cars till the end of this year that will significantly improve the population service.
According to the deputy minister of internally displaced persons from the occupied territories, accommodation and refuges of Georgia Mamuka Tsotniashvili, there are 2288 internally displaced persons in Samtskhe-Javakheti region, totally 909 families, among them 2031 IDPs, that is 88% are provided with apartments. In 2013-2014 28 families were given apartments for 1 GEL. This year 18 families, 53 IDPs were given apartments in Borjomi from the side of the state. Repairing of former boarding school is ongoing in town Akhaltsikhe where 66 IDP families will be accommodated. Till September 2015 60 families will be given living spaces; 989 families have received cash assistance of winter season from 2012 till now (197 800GEL).
As regards energy, gasification process is intensively ongoing in the region. Today 32 464 customers get natural gas in Samtskhe-Javakheti. At this stage gasification works are actively ongoing in Akhaltsikhe and Adigeni. 3 030 customers in Akhaltsikhe municipality and 1546 customers in Adigeni municipality will provided with natural gas. Gasification of 1150 customers is already completed in town Aspindza and villages of Aspindza municipality - Saro, Khizabavra and Damala. In 2015 1130 new customers will be included in Borjomi municipality. Within the state program 6 million GEL was allocated from the budget for electrification of villages without power supply. Power is already supplied to 8 villages, including village Utkisubani of Adigeni municipality where people lived without power supply for ten years.
At the meeting the report was presented to the population by the deputy minister of education Lia Gigauri according to who in 2013 30public schools were rehabilitated in 2013, in 2014 22 public schools and professional colleges were rehabilitated; construction of public school in village Bughasheni is ongoing which will be completed in the nearest days. In addition, the project of new school building o public school in village Arali is prepared and its construction will be started in 2015. Regional learning centre of Z. Jvania state administration school is launched for representatives of ethnic minorities. Special teachers were appointed in regional schools and professional colleges where pupils with special needs study. The education ministry rewarded 93 pupils in the region for excellent studying with computers. According to resolution #272 of the Georgian government on the basis of Akhaltsikhe University and Akhalkalaki higher educational college state university of Samtkhe-Javakheti was established and the population of the region is able to study on bachelor, master and doctorate educational programs.
Similar to education the state pays great attention to protection and preservation of monuments of cultural inheritance. With the Prime Minister's initiative 4-year project of survival of Vardzia unique cave complex was started this year. At the first stage the following works are done: research-diagnostics of wall art, cave research and conservation, rehabilitation of damaged water drain pipes and protective walls of the complex, arrangement of walking paths and stairs, multi-disciplinary complex researches which will be coordinated by international experts. At this stage full lighting of Vardzia is completed.
Presentation of the reports of the Georgian Government and governors of the regions started at the beginning of December in the regions and it was already held in Imereti, Kakheti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti and Samtskhe-Javakheti, the next event will be held on December 16 in Shida Kartli.