2020-10-27

The Government of Georgia has decided to renew the new state program on the construction of natural gas supply infrastructure from 2021 to 2024, which will result in an additional 211 villages and about 33,000 families being provided with natural gas in Georgia, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated during his speech at an event concerning the implementation of the program on the creation of natural gas supply infrastructure in Tsalenjikha.

As the head of the government noted, the Government of Georgia launched the three-year plan regarding the construction of natural gas supply infrastructure, and the construction of said infrastructure will be completed in 384 Georgian villages within the framework of this plan.

"We have gathered here today for an important reason. We had a similar meeting about a year ago, and at the time we said that the program on the creation of natural gas supply infrastructure will begin in Tsalenjikha and that its completion will not be delayed for a long time. One year has passed; we have already achieved certain results that I would like to discuss with you. In 2019, the Government of Georgia launched a three-year plan on the construction of natural gas supply infrastructure. The construction of said infrastructure will be completed in 384 Georgian villages within the framework of this plan, out of which 92 populated places and villages are located in Samegrelo, including Tsalenjikha. Of course, this is not enough and the Government of Georgia has decided to renew and continue the new governmental program on the construction of natural gas supply infrastructure from 2021 to 2024, as a result of which an additional 211 villages and about 33,000 families in Georgia will be provided with natural gas. This means that 90 percent of the population of Georgia will be provided with natural gas. This is one of the best figures in Europe," Giorgi Gakharia stated.

As regards Tsalenjikha, according to the head of the government, gas pipelines measuring a total of 130,000 meters in length have been constructed in the last year and a half and, as a result, 2,900 families in Tsalenjikha will be supplied with natural gas.

"As for Tsalenjikha, a lot of work has been done in the last year and a half; gas pipelines measuring a total of about 130,000 meters have been constructed and 2,900 families in Tsalenjikha will have natural gas. We are doing all of this because our main goal is to minimize the difference between big cities, small towns, and villages. The government is obligated to equalize the daily practical conditions of life as much as possible, regardless of where we live," Giorgi Gakharia stated.

As the head of the government noted, the Government of Georgia has spent 23 billion GEL on systemic infrastructure projects from 2012 to 2020, and will spend at least 20 billion GEL over the next four years.

"The Government of Georgia will spend twice as much in 2021-2024. This is the money that will be spent on roads, gas infrastructure, water, schools, kindergartens - everything that will bring our daily lives closer and closer to European standards," Giorgi Gakharia stated.

According to the Prime Minister, the biggest problem today after roads and the construction of natural gas supply infrastructure is the provision of potable water and irrigation systems, which will be resolved in the next four years.

"By 2024, 2.8 million citizens of Georgia will have a 24-hour supply of water. All of this is being done in order to make the daily life of our citizens similar to that of the best cities of Europe, and we must do all of this together. This plan already exists and its implementation will begin everywhere - in Tsalenjikha, Zugdidi, Telavi, Batumi, everywhere - on the day after the elections. When we say that we will spend 20 billion GEL, every lari must be spent on goals and programs that will reach every citizen, every family, regardless of where they live. I would like to tell you and promise you that the next four years will be four years of the revival of Samegrelo and Georgia. These will be the four years when we will finally overcome the shortcomings of systemic infrastructure, be it roads, water supply, natural gas supply infrastructure, schools, kindergartens, [or] healthcare facilities. We must do everything to live in an economically strong, free, fair, and European state," Giorgi Gakharia stated.

Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Natia Turnava presented a report on the work carried out within the framework of the three-year program on the construction of natural gas supply infrastructure.

Natural gas will become available in 384 villages throughout Georgia, in accordance with the Georgian Government's 2019-2021 three-year plan on the construction of natural gas supply infrastructure. Construction works within the framework of the three-year plan on the creation of natural gas supply infrastructure have been completed in 187 populated places, allowing 35,859 consumers to be connected to the natural gas network.

A total of 659 million GEL will be spent on the construction of natural gas supply infrastructure in Georgia in 2013-2021. Due to the importance of the given program, the Government of Georgia is considering the implementation of a new three-year plan on the construction of natural gas supply infrastructure, within the framework of which it is planned to provide natural gas to 211 populated places and more than 33,000 consumers.

Press Service of the Government Administration