Turkey allocates $9.8 billion for Central Anatolia

The Turkish government has announced plans to allocate TL 350.7 billion (around $9.83 billion) for the Central Anatolian region under the Konya Plain Project (KOP) action plan over the next five years.

The KOP initiative spans eight provinces: Konya, Aksaray, Karaman, Nigde, Kırıkkale, Yozgat, Nevsehir, and Kırsehir. The project focuses on strengthening irrigation infrastructure, agriculture, and animal husbandry.

Additionally, the plan includes efforts to enhance regional development in sectors such as agricultural machinery, defense industries, and automotive production.

According to Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, around 21.5% of Türkiye’s arable agricultural land lies within the KOP region, although it only holds 7.7% of the country's usable water resources. Speaking at an event in Konya on Friday, Kacır stated, "Under the KOP Action Plan, we aim to allocate TL 350 billion to 166 projects over the next five years."

The announcement follows the government’s unveiling of a $14 billion regional development plan last month, designed to narrow the economic disparity between the southeastern region and the rest of the country.

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz also noted on Friday that similar development programs will soon be launched for other provinces, starting with Giresun and Erzurum.