At meetings with officials, the country's president constantly speaks about increasing pensions. However, many elderly and disabled pensioners report that the amount of their payments has not changed in many years. Experts believe it is necessary to adopt a law regulating the annual indexation of pensions and salaries.
Mandatory examinations and additional expenses
Khushbakht Jobirov is a resident of the Panj district in southern Tajikistan. He has five children, including a 9-year-old daughter with a congenital brain malformation and a Group I disability, which needs to be diagnosed and examined annually. It costs about 1,000 TJS ($88.68).
His daughter receives a disability pension from the state of 270 somonis (US$23.93). This money does not even cover half of the cost of treatment.
"When the child was hospitalized last year in the Kushoniyon district hospital, 800 somonis ($70.92) was spent on medications alone. I am a teacher myself, some of my students work in hospitals and help with documentation collection. If there were no such help from them, we could not have afforded all these expenses. It was reported that the disability pension will increase by 50 percent starting September 1, 2020, but my daughter's pension has still not increased," Jobirov said.
His daughter receives a disability pension from the state of 270 somonis (US$23.93). This money does not even cover half of the cost of treatment.
"When the child was hospitalized last year in the Kushoniyon district hospital, 800 somonis ($70.92) was spent on medications alone. I am a teacher myself, some of my students work in hospitals and help with documentation collection. If there were no such help from them, we could not have afforded all these expenses. It was reported that the disability pension will increase by 50 percent starting September 1, 2020, but my daughter's pension has still not increased," Jobirov said.
photo: CABAR.asia
He is the only breadwinner and the family is on the list of low-income ones.
"My mother is also retired, her pension was increased by 30 somonis ($2.66) last year by presidential decree. When I asked the bank clerk why my child's disability pension had not changed, they said I should go to the social welfare department of the Panj district. I went there and was told that the issue had not been resolved yet," complained Jobirov.
One of the main problems for them is that his daughter is not accepted into the polyclinic in the Panj district, which is not far from their home. Doctors redirect them to the medical center in the Kushoniyon district, which is an hour and a half drive away.
He says that due to the absence of a socio-medical examination service or VTEK (Medical and Labor Expert Commission) in the Panj district, he has to take his child to the Kushaniye District Health Center. He spends about 70 somonis ($6.21) for one trip alone.
"It would be good if this diagnosis was done once in a lifetime because the child has a congenital disability. I can't take her from Panj to Kushoniyon every year," Jobirov said.
"My mother is also retired, her pension was increased by 30 somonis ($2.66) last year by presidential decree. When I asked the bank clerk why my child's disability pension had not changed, they said I should go to the social welfare department of the Panj district. I went there and was told that the issue had not been resolved yet," complained Jobirov.
One of the main problems for them is that his daughter is not accepted into the polyclinic in the Panj district, which is not far from their home. Doctors redirect them to the medical center in the Kushoniyon district, which is an hour and a half drive away.
He says that due to the absence of a socio-medical examination service or VTEK (Medical and Labor Expert Commission) in the Panj district, he has to take his child to the Kushaniye District Health Center. He spends about 70 somonis ($6.21) for one trip alone.
"It would be good if this diagnosis was done once in a lifetime because the child has a congenital disability. I can't take her from Panj to Kushoniyon every year," Jobirov said.
It takes a lot of paperwork to get a paltry pension
For the past several years, with the exception of 2019, the salaries of civil servants and benefits for low-income categories of citizens have been increased annually by presidential decree, Emomali Rakhmon. However, there are those who say their retirement and disability pensions have not yet been increased.
Sharofat, a 63-year-old resident of Rudaki, said that her name is on the list of low-income families and she receives a social pension. But over the past five years, after numerous trips to various instances, her pension has increased by only 8 somonis ($0.71).
"At first it was 99 somoni ($8.78), then it became 107 somonis ($9.49). Life is hard, I have a son who does not work anywhere. And even the very 100 somonis (8.86 USD), which I am supposed to receive once every three months as a poor person, I cannot get for many months. When I came to the jamoat of Zaynabobod district of Rudaki, they said that I had to register again, but now they have "forms". I can't go every day because we live far away from the jamoat, and we need money for travel," says Sharofat.
Meanwhile, Dilmurod Davlatzoda, Director of the Social Insurance and Pension Agency, during a final press conference in February, said that "for the first time in recent years, the budget revenue plan has been fulfilled by 100%, and pensions will be paid in full in 2021.
Sharofat, a 63-year-old resident of Rudaki, said that her name is on the list of low-income families and she receives a social pension. But over the past five years, after numerous trips to various instances, her pension has increased by only 8 somonis ($0.71).
"At first it was 99 somoni ($8.78), then it became 107 somonis ($9.49). Life is hard, I have a son who does not work anywhere. And even the very 100 somonis (8.86 USD), which I am supposed to receive once every three months as a poor person, I cannot get for many months. When I came to the jamoat of Zaynabobod district of Rudaki, they said that I had to register again, but now they have "forms". I can't go every day because we live far away from the jamoat, and we need money for travel," says Sharofat.
Meanwhile, Dilmurod Davlatzoda, Director of the Social Insurance and Pension Agency, during a final press conference in February, said that "for the first time in recent years, the budget revenue plan has been fulfilled by 100%, and pensions will be paid in full in 2021.
Pensioners complain about ATMs not having money
In addition to problems with late payments, there are also problems with withdrawing pensions from ATMs in the country.
Saeed, a resident of Vahdat, told CABAR.asia that he came to the ATM to get his mother's pension, but there was no money in the ATM. He had been waiting for the money to be brought in, but the delay was prolonged.
"We were told there was no money at the ATM and you could withdraw it when it came in. But look how many people are in line here," Said said.
According to official figures announced at the press conference, as of January 1st, 2022, the number of pensioners in Tajikistan is 74,817, and the average pension is 321 somoni 35 dirams ($28.46). The average labor pension is 393 somoni 67 dirams (34.84 USD), the average insurance pension is 300 somoni 1 diram (26.59 USD), and the average social pension is 201 somoni 83 dirams (17.79 USD).
Saeed, a resident of Vahdat, told CABAR.asia that he came to the ATM to get his mother's pension, but there was no money in the ATM. He had been waiting for the money to be brought in, but the delay was prolonged.
"We were told there was no money at the ATM and you could withdraw it when it came in. But look how many people are in line here," Said said.
According to official figures announced at the press conference, as of January 1st, 2022, the number of pensioners in Tajikistan is 74,817, and the average pension is 321 somoni 35 dirams ($28.46). The average labor pension is 393 somoni 67 dirams (34.84 USD), the average insurance pension is 300 somoni 1 diram (26.59 USD), and the average social pension is 201 somoni 83 dirams (17.79 USD).
According to the decree of the President of Tajikistan, from July 1, 2022, it is expected to increase the pensions of orphans and incomplete orphans by 25% of the minimum retirement pension.
Khojimukhammad Umarov, a doctor of economic sciences, believes that Tajikistan needs to pass a law to increase pensions and wages. Because otherwise the problem will not be solved.
"I think that lawyers are to blame here to a greater extent. That is specialists dealing with labor law. Because along with the rise in food prices and utility rates, pensions and wages should increase. It must be legislated. If the Tajik parliament doesn't pass a law in this matter, there will be more such misunderstandings," Umarov added.
Lawyers working in the economy must bring the problems of pensions and salaries to the attention of the country's leadership and parliament, he said. Because with the growth of inflation, both wages and pensions should grow.
Khojimukhammad Umarov, a doctor of economic sciences, believes that Tajikistan needs to pass a law to increase pensions and wages. Because otherwise the problem will not be solved.
"I think that lawyers are to blame here to a greater extent. That is specialists dealing with labor law. Because along with the rise in food prices and utility rates, pensions and wages should increase. It must be legislated. If the Tajik parliament doesn't pass a law in this matter, there will be more such misunderstandings," Umarov added.
Lawyers working in the economy must bring the problems of pensions and salaries to the attention of the country's leadership and parliament, he said. Because with the growth of inflation, both wages and pensions should grow.
This material was prepared within the framework of the IWPR project "Amplify, Verify, Engage: Information for Democratisation and Good Governance in Eurasia", funded by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, and the mentoring program of the "Development of New Media and Digital Journalism in Central Asia" project, implemented by the Institute for War Reporting and Peace (IWPR) with the support of the UK Government. The content of this publication does not reflect the official views of IWPR, the Norwegian Foreign Office, or the UK Government.
