The Government of Georgia has adopted "2019-2023” strategy of developing high mountainous settlements. The Strategy was prepared by the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia with the support of UNDP, Swiss and Austrian governments and active involvement of all stakeholders. Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia releases information.

The strategy aims at establishing a strategic vision of equal and sustainable development of the regions of Georgia, improving living standards, providing equal social and economic development. According to the ministry by 2023, living standards and demographic dynamics will be significantly improved in high mountainous settlements correspondingly to strategic vision and through the promotion of basic infrastructure, social and public services, tourist attractiveness, and economic activities.

The strategy envisages three purposes: sustainable development of highland settlements, social support of inhabitants and availability of services. The objectives of the strategy include tourism development, supporting agriculture and entrepreneurial activities, arrangement of road infrastructure, developing educational, healthcare and sport infrastructure, access to various services, youth support, planting management and innovation systems and etc. Specific measures are taken into account in a two-year action plan to achieve a vision worked out by the Strategy. It’s also determined which agency should carry out the activity, event and in what size.

The action plan includes measures such as building emergency assistance construction, rehabilitation of roads, outpatient facilities, schools, kindergartens, museums, setting solid waste transfer stations, rehabilitation of water supply and sewerage systems, preventive measures for reducing damage caused by natural disasters, setting tourist infrastructure, cultural heritage rehabilitation, electrification, gasification, spreading internet and setting common electronic system of information flows management in municipalities. According to the agency, the forecast budget of the two-year strategy is about 700 million GEL.

On the basis of the Law on Development of High Mountain Regions, which was adopted by the Parliament on July 16, 2015, a total of 86 million GEL was allocated for the Mountain Settlement Development Fund, which was used for different types of infrastructure, agriculture and social projects.

According to this law, the status of mountainous settlement is granted to 1,731 settlements and 245,287 citizens of Georgia use the status of a resident of the mountainous settlement.

source: GeorgiaToday/ georgiatoday.ge