The Head of State supported the proposal on the phased introduction of payments for utilities

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov speaking at the Council of Elders noted, that with gaining independence, natural gas, potable water, electricity and salt were provided free of charge to the population of the country. The main goal of granting unprecedented privileges in those years was to create favorable conditions against the background of a difficult economic situation in the world, the adaptation of citizens to the conditions of a market economy. 

Today, in Turkmenistan, the incomes of the population are increasing from year to year, and a large number of jobs are created. In this regard, the Turkmen leader supports and considers expedient the introduction of payments for the provision of public services, proposed by the Council of Elders, with a view to more rational and careful use of natural resources. 

Deep integration of the country's economy into the system of market relations requires careful, rational, economical and highly efficient use of national wealth. Systematic increase of incomes of the population and improvement of labor employment now give the chance to enter the certain payment for social privileges which earlier were given free of charge.