OREANDA-NEWS. January 04, 2010. The ceremony of putting a new branch of the Karakum River into operation was held in Serdar Etrap on the border between Balkan and Ahal Velayats. This event profoundly contribute to the dynamic development of agro-industry complex of the western region and increase in production of a wide range of agricultural products including grain, cotton, fruit, vegetables and melons and gourds. It is symbolic that the ceremony was held on the eve the favorite holiday – the New Year’s Day as if marking a new life that is coming to towns and settlements of the country today.

The 38-kilometer canal built by the subdivisions of Balkansuvhojalyk Association of the Ministry of Water Industry of Turkmenistan will contribute to fulfilling the tasks set by the Turkmen leader. The capacity of the irrigation canal that will allow expanding irrigated lands of Goc, Azadi, Niyazov, Purnuar farmers associations is 20 cubic metres per second. The head gates, two mud flow lines, seven water discharge units and other facilities were built along the route of the cannel.

Putting a new branch of the Karakum River into operation in Serdar Etrap turned into a holiday. The local high-ranking officials, the representatives of the agricultural and water industry ministries and departments, public organisations, the elders, hydraulic engineers and numerous workers of the farmers associations took part in the ceremony.

The banks of the irrigation canal were decorated with the flags, bright slogans and banners. An open-air exposition of the high-powered machines produced by the leading manufacturers including the well-known Japanese company Komatsu that were involved in constructing the canal was arranged there. The national yurts decorated with wonderful Turkmen carpets were installed there. The artists, musical and dancing groups had prepared their present – a large concert programme for the participants and guests of the event.

On the instructions of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the greetings and best wishes that attached a special spirit to the holiday were addressed to the hydraulic builders and engineers, water industry and agricultural workers and the people of Balkan Velayat.

The participants expressed sincere gratitude to the President, who had initiated the measures aimed at accelerating the national social and economic development, improving people’s welfare, the essence and priorities of which were vividly reflected in the principle “a state for the people”. Today, Balkan Velayat has turned into a huge construction site for implementing the large-scale national and international investment projects.

These large-scale projects are only a part of the grandiose programme of the reforms aimed at creating the favourable conditions for rural people. Thus, in accordance with the Resolutions of the President of Turkmenistan the projects on the development of social and economic infrastructure in Serdar town and Bereket Etrap have been launched this year.

Construction of the new branch of the Karakum River in Serdar Etrap provides a powerful incentive to further develop the agricultural sector in Balkan Velayat. Putting the irrigation canal into operation is an important step to implement the large-scale programmes on the improvement of water supply to local people and agro-industrial centres, development of virgin lands, increase in crop production, creation of new jobs for rural people that were the priorities of the large-scale work initiated by the Turkmen leader to reform the agricultural sector.