Free Gifts Come at a Cost

Citing successes in the oil and gas sector and the country’s rich natural resources, the president made the announcement at the Halk Maslahaty, the supreme body of power in Turkmenistan, close to the 15th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s independence at the end of October.



Although these benefits have been in place since 1992, in practice people only get their drinking water for nothing – and even that supply is often interrupted.



Ashgabat resident Gowher Amanova says she finds it hard to watch fountains all over the city spraying out water while she and her neighbours only get water from the taps late at night. During the day, she has to get buckets of water from neighbours living on the ground floor of her apartment block.



The same story was told by residents of other suburban areas. In one area, the pipes are so rusty that there is no water, day or night. People have to buy drinking water for one US dollar per 1.5 litres. They go the bathhouse to wash, take their clothes to the laundry and bring in big bottles of water for other household needs.



Free electricity is also in limited supply: 35 kilowatt hours per family member every month, and three times that amount for a family of two. According to Viktor Semyonov from Mary region, this might be enough for old ladies who don’t use any electricity except for lights. But families of more than one person, in a country where the hot season lasts five months, keep the air-conditioning and the fridge on constantly, and wash several times a day. Furthermore, some people use a boiler for heating.



The free quota of electricity is quickly exceeded and many people have to pay 20 or 30 dollars a month for the excess.



There are also limits on natural gas. Mubarak Muminova, a resident of the Lebap region, said gas board officials went from door to door in August collecting payment for each gas installation, calculated also according to the number of people in the household. Her family of four had to pay almost 10 dollars. There are plans to install gas meters in the near future.



As for free salt, no one can even remember it. Staff in the government shops offer various excuses such as transport costs for the unavailability of the free ration. To be eligible, one also needs a residence permit – something that not everyone has. Until recently, one kilogram of salt cost 20 US cents, but that has risen to 50 cents. Commentators say the salt ration is mostly a way for sales staff to make money.