DUSHANBE, May 7, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan’s Entrepreneurship Support Foundation (ESF) has allocated 8.7 million somoni (TJS) in preferential loans for implementation of 17 rural area development projects.

“These projects aim to support development of production and preference is given to projects aiming at supporting development of remote areas,” Ms. Nigina Abdulloyeva, the deputy chairperson of the State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest), told Asia-Plus in an interview.

According to her, this state-run Foundation provides preferential loans at a 12-percent annual interest rate and the minimum period for repayment of loans is two years.

The next preferential loan was provided in early May following the decision by the ESF Supervisory Board.

Established in 2013, Tajikistan’s Entrepreneurship Support Foundation (ESF) has considered 182 projects so far and 34.166 million somoni have been allocated in preferential loans for implementation of 42 projects.  ESF aims to support development and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Tajikistan.