On August 10, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov held a regular working video-selector meeting with the participation of khyakims of velayats and Ashgabat city, as well as heads of several ministries. The agenda of the meeting included discussions of the priorities of the country’s socio-economic development, including those associated with the implementation of the National Rural Development Program, as well as other issues of public life. The leaders of regions reported on the state of current affairs in the velayats, the ongoing preparations for the organized startup of the cotton harvest campaign and forthcoming seeding of winter wheat. The reports included information about implementation of the tasks envisaged in the National Rural Development Program, the situation on the objects erected in the territory of regions, measures to increase the paces of their construction. The khyakims also informed about preparations for the organized conduct of the upcoming holidays. Hearing the reports, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov emphasized the need for exercising constant over the progress of works accomplished in the velayats in accordance with the guidelines of socio-economic regional development. Focusing on the situation in agricultural sector, the head of state has reminded that the upcoming cotton harvest campaign and sowing of winter wheat require the most serious approach to their organization. The leader of nation has also pointed out the necessity of making timely mutual settlements with cotton producers. In addition, the leader of nation ordered to take all necessary steps for timely and qualitative completion of the construction objects, as well as for appropriate preparing the heating systems for the winter season. Speaking about the preparations for the new academic year, the head of state gave the khyakims a number of executive instructions on ensuring high-level pre-school fairs in the velayat. Reminding that on August 9, flying over the territory of Akhal velayat, he observed the agricultural machinery accumulated near the workshops in expectation of repairs, the head of state expressed disapproval with this juncture and demanded from khyakim to amend the situation immediately. Giving commissions on improving the activities of Balkan velayat’s administrative governance, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov signed a Resolution on appointing S. Amandurdyev as deputy khyakim of Serdar etrap, Balkan velayat. Speaking about the necessity of timely and qualitative completion of the objects constructed in the territory of Dashoguz velayat, the leader of nation highlighted the importance of adherence to the scheduled dates. Besides, the head of state placed special attention on timely and proper preparation of heating systems for the winter season in kindergartens, schools, organizations, enterprises, and dwelling-houses. The leader of nation pointed out to khyakim of Lebap velayat on the need for making timely mutual settlement with the cotton producers for the cotton crop. Moreover, it was pointed out to efficient use of investments allocated for building objects in the region. Touching upon organizational issues relating to the activities of Lebap velayat’s etraps, President of Turkmenistan signed a number of documents. In the course of his report, Mary velayat’s khyakim also informed about the results of business trip to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and about the work conducted on the results of the trip. In addition, khyakim reported on the preparations for organizing and conducting in the velayat of the measures of international level on the occasion of announcing Mary as the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World. Speaking about the importance of humanitarian cooperation in the field of health care and rendering in this direction the assistance to the neighboring Afghan people, the head of Turkmen state keynoted the need for the most responsible approach to the construction of a maternity hospital in the township of Turgundy of Herat province, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Noting that announcement of Mary as the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2015 has a special significance for strengthening and expanding the international cooperation, the leader of nation commissioned the executives concerned to take all necessary measures to ensure a high organizational level of the event-associated measures. Then, the report on the state of affairs in the capital was made by Ashgabat city’s khyakim R. Nurmammedov. In particular, information was submitted about the ongoing preparations for the new academic year, as well as the fulfillment of the earlier presidential commissions on raising the level of beautification and improvement of the country’s main city. Emphasizing the importance of transforming Ashgabat into the exemplary city in all respects, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov instructed to keep in the focus of attention all the issues related to the preparation of educational institutions for the new academic year, holding of school fairs and providing them with a diverse set of educational aids and supplies. Drawing attention to the existent shortcomings in the activities of some structural institutions of the country’s main city and the need for taking appropriate actions, including landscaping of the capital’s greenbelts, park centers and care for planted trees at the appropriate level, the President of Turkmenistan expressed disapproval with the city administration’s work. In particular, noting that works on the improvement and maintenance of cleanliness in the etraps are irregularly carried out, the paces of construction of the objects scheduled to be commissioned on the occasion of the country’s Independence Day are slowed down, and preparations for the new academic year in schools of Ashgabat don’t meet the requirements demanded, the leader of nation assigned khyakim to amend the within-said short comings as soon as possible. Invited for video-intercom contact, the Minister of Education of Turkmenistan P. Agamyradov reported on the state of current affairs in the sectoral agencies, the process of entrance examinations to higher and secondary professional education institutions, as well as on preparations for the new academic year and ceremonious commissioning of modern objects of education. In particular, it was reported that commissioning in the country of 24 secondary schools, 14 kindergartens, as well as a new complex of buildings of the Pedagogical College named after A. Kekilov (in the capital) would be held in the country timed to Knowledge and Student Youth Day. Currently, entrance examinations are underway at the highest level and in accordance with the applicable procedure in the educational institutions of the country. Noting the importance of comprehensive preparation for the school season and holding school fairs, the head of state commissioned to keep constant control over all works in this direction, providing students with necessary school supplies and school uniforms. The nation’s leader also gave a number of assignments on well-organized ceremonious opening of new schools, kindergartens, complex of buildings of the Pedagogical College named after A. Kekilov (one of the country’s oldest secondary professional education institutions) on the eve of the new academic year. Emphasizing that today it has become a good tradition to donate net-books to the first graders of comprehensive secondary schools, the head of state commissioned to pay particular attention and take appropriate measures for providing all necessary educational facilities and school uniform to six-year-old pupils, who for the first time will cross the school’s threshold. In the course of working video-selector meeting, consideration was also given to a number of other issues of state life, and the relevant decisions were adopted.