Gov’t to spend $659 million on new infrastructure projects, upgrades in Georgia

By Trend

Recently announced large-scale infrastructure projects and public employment programme, as well as ongoing energy projects, were discussed in a meeting of the Georgian Government’s Economic Council, led by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Saturday, Trend reports citing Agenda.ge.

State agencies are set to spend ?2 billion ($659 million/€625 million) on construction of “European-standard” schools, water supply projects and upgrades to police and armed forces infrastructure, the Government Administration announced following the meeting.

To help facilitate the development of new infrastructure, construction companies have been offered state-backed projects with long-term financing plans to boost the sector, with the initiative also aiming to create 20,000 new jobs.

Construction of large and small hydropower plants, ongoing energy projects and a plan for energy sector development in the country were also reviewed at the meeting, with the Administration revealing the latter would be announced in the near future.

In the meeting, officials also noted over 20,000 individuals had expressed interest in the Government’s recently launched initiative of providing socially vulnerable individuals with jobs through a large public employment programme, with the process of contracts being signed by the interested citizens ongoing “actively”.