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STATE ORDER FOR CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION CUT BY OVER TWO BILLION
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id`5:-state-order-for-capital-construction-cut-by-over-two-billion&catid=6:economy&Itemid=18
Saturday, 16 February 2013 14:45
The recent meeting of the government endorsed the state order for
capital construction to be funded from the state budget for 2013.
According to NKR Minister of Urban Development Karen Shahramanyan, the
order volume amounts to 11 billion and 500 million drams, instead of
13 billion and 637 million drams in the past year. As, compared to the
last year, it decreased by over 2 billion drams, the program primarily
includes passing objects that make up about 75% of the overall
program.
What construction programs will be a priority this year, and what
goals are to be achieved? This was discussed in our interview with NKR
Minister of Urban Development Karen SHAHRAMANYAN.
- Mr. Shahramanyan, what will the policy in the capital construction
sphere be this year?
- Like in the previous years, currently the priorities of the state
order are housing construction, covering construction and capital
repair of apartments of deceased freedom fighters' families, displaced
people and large families, as well as solution of the housing problem
of orphan-children. There are programs related to the construction and
repair of cultural and sports facilities, schools and kindergartens.
Programs for the construction of roads, water systems also remain in
force.
- How much money will be spent on housing?
- Within the 2013 state budget, 1024.617 million drams will be
allocated for housing, which will mainly focus on the completion of
the objects passed to this year and those to be repaired. 160 million
drams will be provided to regional administrations for removing the
damages caused by the natural disasters in the regions. The capital
repair of the roofs of apartment buildings in the regional centers
will be also continued, for which 57 million drams are allocated.
- The government is very active in the construction of the education
sphere, however, there is a shortage of schools and pre-school
establishments both in the capital and in the regions.
- This year, the construction and repair of 5 schools and 6
kindergartens will be completed and construction works will be
continued in 12 schools and 2 kindergartens. Construction of a
kindergarten in the town of Karvachar is starting this year.
- Unfortunately, the roads in Artsakh are not improved. How do you
plan to resolve this issue?
- The state budget allocated 2 billion and 561 million drams for road
construction. Works will be underway in the road sections of
Stepanakert - Nngi - Martuni and Stepanakert - Goris; improvement and
asphalting works will be conducted on the road Ivanyan - Noragyugh in
the Askeran region. 50 million drams are allocated for the maintenance
and operation of the republican roads, and 400 million drams are
allocated for the maintenance, operation and current repair of the
local roads.
- The major task in the urban development sphere, which requires
urgent solution, is, perhaps, construction of water systems. If I'm
not mistaken, the water supply program will be completed in
Stepanakert this year.
- Yes, this is quite a large program planned for four communities - in
Mushkapat, Agorti, Aknaberd and Artashavi, water supply systems and
water measuring nodes will be constructed.
The irrigation program provides 80 million AMD, of which 50 million -
for the Kashatagh region. The yards, the improvement of which started
in 2012, will be put into operation in Stepanakert. Their value makes
641.142 million drams, and the construction-engineering works for
improving the water supply system will take 1 billion and 185 million
drams. The cost of the water supply program is 9 billion and 564
million drams. To date, works at 8 billion and 145 million drams have
been implemented. By the end of the year, the program will be almost
completed, and 47,446 people will be provided with 24-hour water
supply.
It should be noted that construction works will be carried out not
only on government funds in the territory of the republic. For
example, in the health sphere the works will be conducted on the funds
transferred by the closed JSC Karabakh Telecom on the extra-budgetary
account of humanitarian assistance of the NKR Government. The program
will continue the construction of hospital buildings in the towns of
Martakert, Martuni and Berdzor, repair of the hospital in the town of
Kovsakan and of the first floor of the Republican clinic. The
extra-budgetary funds will provide the further construction of
Stepanakert School #11.
- Mr. Shahramanyan, complaints are often voiced about the poor quality
of construction. How does the Ministry of Urban Development manage to
control the situation?
- The question can be viewed from several perspectives. At the sites
under our control, there is no problem of poor construction (in
particular, related to reliability). The issue is most acute in those
cases where the facilities are built via private investments. In this
case, the technical control is missing. This is quite a serious issue
requiring urgent solution. Being the most responsible and important
part of the whole construction process, actually, it dropped out of
sight. Meanwhile, the body giving the construction permit must require
and clarify the availability of an organization on the engineering
control. Though, there is an appropriate inspection body conducting
the control on the established order, but it is not enough. The
ministry, with the help of 20 technical supervisors, are not
physically able to control the construction in the territory of the
entire republic. We implement construction works at over 300 sites.
- At a recent meeting with the NKR Prime Minister, the builders raised
a lot of issues, one of which concerned the quality of local products.
As noted, it does not meet the accepted standards and its volume does
not meet the demand of the country.
- Yes, according to the government's policy, we should mainly use
local building materials. Local assortment of stones and concrete is
mainly used here. But, there is a problem of inconsistency of the
building materials' quality, in particular, used for trim works. Above
all, they are not competitive at the market, yielding to granite on
the design decisions, the volume and quality of the production. The
organizations engaged in the production of building materials cannot
meet the demand in the required time, and to suspend the construction
is impossible. I see the solution in improving the production
competitiveness.
- Why? Are there any mechanisms of state support?
- Besides the available raw materials, processing workshops and
advanced equipment are needed. We have inherited the stone-processing
equipment from the Soviet era, except one or two organizations, which
have recently purchased the equipment, but they can't meet the
demand of the entire republic. As for the state support, the issue was
dealt with by the Ministry of Economic Development. As far as I know,
some enterprises have acquired modern equipment with the state
support, via a privileged loan.
- There is certain dissatisfaction among the people related to the
operation of water supply systems, when for various reasons the newly
paved roads are destroyed. What is it conditioned by?
- I think this is due to staff shortages and the fact that the
Stepanakert CJSC Vodokanal hasn't justified itself yet. Actually, we
have no hydrobuilders. After the construction of new polyethylene
pipes, the water network service is still carried out on the old
network, which is already out of order, leading to accidents. This is
a very serious problem, and at the next meeting with the President of
the Republic, we will discuss it, especially that the executive
schemes of the commissioned objects are passed to the CJSC Vodokanal.
Along with the schemes, we will provide their electronic versions.
- How do the buildings in Stepanakert correspond to the planning
regulations, including from the architectural point of view?
- This is a big problem, especially for Stepanakert, and therefore the
mayor's office should be more fundamental on this issue. First of all,
mass granting of land should be stopped in the capital; some people
get a building permit even in the green areas, covering the sidewalks.
Then, we should get rid of illegal structures. In short, there is a
concept of architectural and construction task and its rules should be
followed. The population should understand this
Srbuhi Vanian
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id`5:-state-order-for-capital-construction-cut-by-over-two-billion&catid=6:economy&Itemid=18
Saturday, 16 February 2013 14:45
The recent meeting of the government endorsed the state order for
capital construction to be funded from the state budget for 2013.
According to NKR Minister of Urban Development Karen Shahramanyan, the
order volume amounts to 11 billion and 500 million drams, instead of
13 billion and 637 million drams in the past year. As, compared to the
last year, it decreased by over 2 billion drams, the program primarily
includes passing objects that make up about 75% of the overall
program.
What construction programs will be a priority this year, and what
goals are to be achieved? This was discussed in our interview with NKR
Minister of Urban Development Karen SHAHRAMANYAN.
- Mr. Shahramanyan, what will the policy in the capital construction
sphere be this year?
- Like in the previous years, currently the priorities of the state
order are housing construction, covering construction and capital
repair of apartments of deceased freedom fighters' families, displaced
people and large families, as well as solution of the housing problem
of orphan-children. There are programs related to the construction and
repair of cultural and sports facilities, schools and kindergartens.
Programs for the construction of roads, water systems also remain in
force.
- How much money will be spent on housing?
- Within the 2013 state budget, 1024.617 million drams will be
allocated for housing, which will mainly focus on the completion of
the objects passed to this year and those to be repaired. 160 million
drams will be provided to regional administrations for removing the
damages caused by the natural disasters in the regions. The capital
repair of the roofs of apartment buildings in the regional centers
will be also continued, for which 57 million drams are allocated.
- The government is very active in the construction of the education
sphere, however, there is a shortage of schools and pre-school
establishments both in the capital and in the regions.
- This year, the construction and repair of 5 schools and 6
kindergartens will be completed and construction works will be
continued in 12 schools and 2 kindergartens. Construction of a
kindergarten in the town of Karvachar is starting this year.
- Unfortunately, the roads in Artsakh are not improved. How do you
plan to resolve this issue?
- The state budget allocated 2 billion and 561 million drams for road
construction. Works will be underway in the road sections of
Stepanakert - Nngi - Martuni and Stepanakert - Goris; improvement and
asphalting works will be conducted on the road Ivanyan - Noragyugh in
the Askeran region. 50 million drams are allocated for the maintenance
and operation of the republican roads, and 400 million drams are
allocated for the maintenance, operation and current repair of the
local roads.
- The major task in the urban development sphere, which requires
urgent solution, is, perhaps, construction of water systems. If I'm
not mistaken, the water supply program will be completed in
Stepanakert this year.
- Yes, this is quite a large program planned for four communities - in
Mushkapat, Agorti, Aknaberd and Artashavi, water supply systems and
water measuring nodes will be constructed.
The irrigation program provides 80 million AMD, of which 50 million -
for the Kashatagh region. The yards, the improvement of which started
in 2012, will be put into operation in Stepanakert. Their value makes
641.142 million drams, and the construction-engineering works for
improving the water supply system will take 1 billion and 185 million
drams. The cost of the water supply program is 9 billion and 564
million drams. To date, works at 8 billion and 145 million drams have
been implemented. By the end of the year, the program will be almost
completed, and 47,446 people will be provided with 24-hour water
supply.
It should be noted that construction works will be carried out not
only on government funds in the territory of the republic. For
example, in the health sphere the works will be conducted on the funds
transferred by the closed JSC Karabakh Telecom on the extra-budgetary
account of humanitarian assistance of the NKR Government. The program
will continue the construction of hospital buildings in the towns of
Martakert, Martuni and Berdzor, repair of the hospital in the town of
Kovsakan and of the first floor of the Republican clinic. The
extra-budgetary funds will provide the further construction of
Stepanakert School #11.
- Mr. Shahramanyan, complaints are often voiced about the poor quality
of construction. How does the Ministry of Urban Development manage to
control the situation?
- The question can be viewed from several perspectives. At the sites
under our control, there is no problem of poor construction (in
particular, related to reliability). The issue is most acute in those
cases where the facilities are built via private investments. In this
case, the technical control is missing. This is quite a serious issue
requiring urgent solution. Being the most responsible and important
part of the whole construction process, actually, it dropped out of
sight. Meanwhile, the body giving the construction permit must require
and clarify the availability of an organization on the engineering
control. Though, there is an appropriate inspection body conducting
the control on the established order, but it is not enough. The
ministry, with the help of 20 technical supervisors, are not
physically able to control the construction in the territory of the
entire republic. We implement construction works at over 300 sites.
- At a recent meeting with the NKR Prime Minister, the builders raised
a lot of issues, one of which concerned the quality of local products.
As noted, it does not meet the accepted standards and its volume does
not meet the demand of the country.
- Yes, according to the government's policy, we should mainly use
local building materials. Local assortment of stones and concrete is
mainly used here. But, there is a problem of inconsistency of the
building materials' quality, in particular, used for trim works. Above
all, they are not competitive at the market, yielding to granite on
the design decisions, the volume and quality of the production. The
organizations engaged in the production of building materials cannot
meet the demand in the required time, and to suspend the construction
is impossible. I see the solution in improving the production
competitiveness.
- Why? Are there any mechanisms of state support?
- Besides the available raw materials, processing workshops and
advanced equipment are needed. We have inherited the stone-processing
equipment from the Soviet era, except one or two organizations, which
have recently purchased the equipment, but they can't meet the
demand of the entire republic. As for the state support, the issue was
dealt with by the Ministry of Economic Development. As far as I know,
some enterprises have acquired modern equipment with the state
support, via a privileged loan.
- There is certain dissatisfaction among the people related to the
operation of water supply systems, when for various reasons the newly
paved roads are destroyed. What is it conditioned by?
- I think this is due to staff shortages and the fact that the
Stepanakert CJSC Vodokanal hasn't justified itself yet. Actually, we
have no hydrobuilders. After the construction of new polyethylene
pipes, the water network service is still carried out on the old
network, which is already out of order, leading to accidents. This is
a very serious problem, and at the next meeting with the President of
the Republic, we will discuss it, especially that the executive
schemes of the commissioned objects are passed to the CJSC Vodokanal.
Along with the schemes, we will provide their electronic versions.
- How do the buildings in Stepanakert correspond to the planning
regulations, including from the architectural point of view?
- This is a big problem, especially for Stepanakert, and therefore the
mayor's office should be more fundamental on this issue. First of all,
mass granting of land should be stopped in the capital; some people
get a building permit even in the green areas, covering the sidewalks.
Then, we should get rid of illegal structures. In short, there is a
concept of architectural and construction task and its rules should be
followed. The population should understand this
Srbuhi Vanian