On November 9, 2017 an extraordinary session of Samarkand regional Kengash of people’s deputies was held. The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered a speech at the meeting.

Sincerely, wholeheartedly congratulate you, all the residents of Samarkand on fulfilling the contractual obligations on selling cotton to the state and high cotton hirman (cotton cluster) in more than 217 thousand tons, said the President of our country. 

At the session, the progress of reforms in Samarkand region, the success achieved in this area, the existing problems and ways of their solution, the main tasks to be realized in the next two years along with the organizational issue, were also discussed. 

The ongoing reforms in our country are subordinated to the noble principle “Everything is for the human interest”. Carrying out a dialogue with people for this purpose, solving life problems of people becomes a criterion for the main activity of state bodies, which gives its positive results. 

It is gratifying that today our compatriots speak with satisfaction of the changes in today’s life, become participants in such transformations. State bodies are as close to people as possible, which facilitates accelerated progress towards the goals. 

In whatever region I go, I always repeat one thing: if people are satisfied with our work, our activity will be productive, effective, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Satisfaction of people with life is the highest evaluation of our activity. 

The socio-economic programs and investment projects implemented in Samarkand region are also aimed at these goals. 

Major projects worth 1 trillion 800 billion sums have been launched in the sphere of industry, services and agriculture. 

Over the past period, 24 large enterprises have been involved in the region. In particular, in Samarkand, the enterprise on production of 8 million pieces of medicines per year has been established. A nut is planted on 300 hectares in Jambay district. A farm is established in Samarkand district for the maintenance of 1 million chickens. By the end of the year, another 20 large enterprises will be put into operation. 

Another important aspect: all these projects are initiated by entrepreneurs and implemented at their own expense. We help them only by financing and issuing permits, creating favorable conditions, said the Head of our state. I will not tire of repeating the words that it is necessary to praise an entrepreneur who, due to his own resources, to his ingenuity and enterprise created at least 2-3 workplaces. Only in Samarkand many enterprises are being opened, thousands of workplaces are being created, for which I want to sincerely thank all representatives of small business and private entrepreneurship. 

Indeed, due to what people, the state become rich and powerful? First of all, at the expense of entrepreneurs, sparing no effort, knowledge and experience. 

Recently, the World Bank's business rating for the current year was published in the mass media. According to it, Uzbekistan rose to 13 levels and took the 74th place among 190 countries. 

All of us must realize one truth, said the Head of our state. Entrepreneurship and savvy are qualities inherent in, first of all, youth. Therefore, the opening of the road to entrepreneurship is, first of all, the opening of the road to youth, the future. 

A draft of a new program that includes additional investment projects has been developed in Samarkand region. According to this program, major projects worth 4 trillion 200 billion sums, which envisages creation of about 11 thousand new workplaces, will be implemented in Samarkand region in 2018-2019. 

These projects will be mainly implemented in the following areas. 

Firstly, 31 investment projects worth 1 trillion 400 billion sums will be implemented in the light industry, more than 3400 workplaces will be created. 

At the same time, the main attention will be paid to deep processing of raw materials, production of competitive and export-oriented products. As a result, in the region, the level of processing of cotton fiber from today’s 20 percent will be brought up to 70 percent in 2018 and up to 100 percent in 2019. 

Secondly, 17 projects worth 715 billion sums will be realized in such modern industries based on high technologies, such as mechanical and electrical engineering, pharmaceuticals. For example, an enterprise will be established on production of 12 million pieces of medicines per year at the enterprise “Vaccine pharm medical” in Akdarya district. 

Thirdly, 33 projects with a total cost of 407 billion sums on production of modern construction materials based on local raw materials will be implemented, 1200 workplaces will be created. At the cement plant in Pastdargom district, production of 560 thousand tons of cement per year will be set up, at the railway repair enterprise – production of 10 thousand tons of graphite. 

Fourthly, fruits and vegetables grown on Samarkand soil are famous for their taste qualities far beyond our country. Unfortunately, the effective system of their modern processing, storage and delivery to consumers is not adjusted, as the result of what the most part of gifts of the nature spoils even before winter. 

Today, due to television and the Internet, we all see and know how actual the issue of ecologically clean and safe food products is in the world, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Taking all this into account, we are taking measures on further increasing in our country, in particular, in Samarkand region, the cultivation, storage and processing of fruit and vegetable products. 

For these purposes in recent years, intensive fruit gardens have been broken in the region on more than 9 thousand hectares. In the current year, walnut groves on 1300 hectares, pistachio – on 230 hectares and unabi plantation on more than 60 hectares are laid in the region. 

Following the wise saying “Prepare a sleigh in summer”, now we must think about processing the fruits of these gardens, the assortment of products produced from them, promoting them to the world market, said the President of our country. After all, the search for a sales market is a very difficult task. You are well aware of how strong competition today is in the world market. We have already cleared the low-yield 7200 hectares of land in the region from cotton and grain. In 2018-2020, another 15 thousand hectares will be released from grain and cotton. In these areas, gardens will be created and high-yield crops will be planted. 

Thus, the structural transformation of agriculture will take place, the associated processing industries and infrastructure will change. To this end, 47 projects worth 519 billion sums will be realized in the next two years for growing and processing fruits and vegetables. As a result, an additional 6400 hectares of new gardens, 100 hectares of greenhouses, a storage tank with a capacity of 24 thousand tons will be created in the region, the level of processing of fruits and vegetables will increase from 16 percent to 31 percent. 

Fifthly, 14 projects worth 47 billion sums will be implemented on increasing the number of livestock in order to accelerate the development of livestock, 22 projects worth 186 billion sums in poultry farming. 

Thus, the number of livestock will grow 1,4 times in the region. 

Sixthly, 43 new projects worth 138 million dollars will be implemented and 2500 workplaces will be created in “Urgut” free economic zone. 

Recently, during the visit to the Republic of Turkey, we held negotiations with Turkish businessmen on establishing mutually beneficial cooperation in this economic zone, said the Head of our state. Now, we must mobilize all the forces and potential and work with even greater responsibility in order to implement these agreements. 

It is planned to create 6 small industrial zones in Samarkand and Kattakurgan, Bulungur, Narpay and Pastdargom districts on the basis of empty and not fully involved industrial facilities. 

Seventhly, in addition to the above-mentioned major projects, about 1700 small projects worth 340 billion sums will be implemented and more than 7 thousand workplaces will be created. 

In the 20-day period, it is necessary to develop a program on major investment projects, which will be implemented in Samarkand region in 2018-2019. It should specify the launch dates of facilities, sources of financing, project initiators and investors, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev. 

I would like to dwell on the issue of effective use of the enormous tourism potential of Samarkand. I think there is no need to talk in detail about the enormous potential in this area, said the President of our country. 

A separate program of measures on accelerated development of the tourism potential of Samarkand for 2017-2019 was adopted in order to increase the level of work in this direction. 

According to the program it is planned to create a special tourism zone “Samarkand City” in Samarkand. The focus will also be on issues of construction of new hotels, improving transport services, improving the city, introducing new tourism services and training personnel for the sphere. 

In this connection, activity is being conducted on the basis of new modern approaches. That is, the concept of “Safe tourism” will be developed, which will be implemented in all regions, including Samarkand. Thus, the full security of foreign and domestic tourists will be achieved. 

It is also necessary to take the following additional measures on development of tourism in the region, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev. 

Firstly, “Uzbekistan Airways” NAC, the State Committee on Tourism Development shall: 

take concrete measures on improving the culture of service at airports of all cities of our country in a month, including Samarkand, conducting all formalities for tourists quickly and in convenient conditions; 

organize tourist information centers in international airports of our country that provide information in foreign languages about the tourism potential of the corresponding territory, in particular, tourism routes, hotels, entertainment facilities, transportation and other services in two months. 

Secondly, the State Committee on Tourism Development together with the khokimiyat of Samarkand region, relevant ministries, shall develop and submit additional measures on creating opportunities for foreign tourists in terms of acquaintance with the history and way of life of our people, further improving the quality of services to the Cabinet of Ministers in a month. In particular, it is necessary to envisage the establishment of Amir Temur park in Samarkand, as well as a historical and ethnographic environment in which tourists could feel the atmosphere of the Temurids. 

At the same time, it is necessary to organize ethnic and animation centers that demonstrate interesting traditions of our people, in particular, national dishes, handicrafts and the rich history of our Motherland, with effective means for foreign tourists. 

Thirdly, the Committee on Religious Affairs, together with the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan, should organize a visit to Imam Bukhari complex on the basis of a specific plan for citizens of our country going to the holy Hajj and the Small Hajj – Umrah. 

International Research Center of Imam Bukhari is being organized in Samarkand. There is a great interest in the entire Islamic world to this project. This was also mentioned recently at the session of the United Nations General Assembly. 

Of course, the purpose of establishing such a center is not only to increase the flow of tourists, gain economic benefits. The main goal is to familiarize our people, especially the youth, with the sacred heritage of Imam Bukhari, the author of the most authentic collection of hadiths, which takes the second place after the Holy Quran, as well as strengthening of national pride in the hearts of our compatriots. 

The Center for Islamic Civilization is being established in Tashkent. Let our children live with a sense of high dignity, with their head held high, knowing about descendants of what great ancestors they are, and let them be worthy of their successors. 

Let them, studying the heritage of our outstanding scientists and thinkers, realize that Islam is a religion of goodness, nobility, generosity and humanism. Covering the world with true enlightenment against ignorance is our goal, said the Head of our state. 

Fourthly, based on the experience of Khorezm region, we want to introduce new routes of domestic tourism. In accordance with this, it is necessary to organize excursions of workers of large economic associations, budget organizations and non-governmental non-profit organizations of our country to Samarkand region on a systematic basis. 

When it comes to human interests, we always talk about improving the state of affairs in the most important spheres affecting the everyday life of our compatriots – in systems of healthcare, education, law and order. In my activity as President, I pay special attention to these spheres. If there is justice in these spheres, then there will be justice in others, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev. 

From this point of view, consistent work is carried out in Samarkand region on improving the quality of medical services to the population. 

Of course, it should be noted as a big innovation, a tangible shift in the fact that 43 family polyclinics are organized in the countryside, and 47 specialized departments in the cities and districts, special medical care is provided to the population at the place of residence. 

In the current year, 284 general practitioners and 90 doctors of narrow specialization were recruited to the district medical associations experiencing a shortage of doctors. The number of nurses of the patronage service, which is an innovation for the medical system of our country, increased by 33 percent, the coverage of the population increased. 

Employees of the republican specialized medical centers are sent to the region, they carried out a medical examination of 6200 residents, conducted 90, or 3 times more high-tech operations than in the previous year. 

The emergency medical stations are provided with an additional 100 cars, their supply with medicines is increased by an average of 2-3 times. 

In the region, significant work has also been implemented on identifying the talents of youth and supporting them comprehensively. 

When it comes to this, it should be noted that this year 64 apartments have been built and put into operation for young families, said the President of our country. I am very pleased with success achieved by youth of Samarkand in the spheres of science, culture and art, especially sports. 

At the same time, all of us as parents, mentors and teachers understand well that in the current difficult time the issue of educating youth remains for us an important and urgent task. Therefore, we have no right to make mistakes in issues of ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of our youth, their education and upbringing. Mistakes in this issue mean treason to our children, the Motherland. 

The regional khokimiyat together with the Union of Youth should, first, take measures on radically improving activities of the information and resource center in Samarkand, as well as providing it with modern popular science and fiction literature, emphasized the Head of our state. 

Secondly, together with the ministries of economy, finance and culture, it is necessary to develop concrete measures on construction of modern cinemas and cultural facilities in Kattakurgan, Payarik and Taylak districts in 2018. 

Thirdly, it is necessary to outline in a 20-day period concrete measures on attracting children and adolescents in cities and districts to the centers of children’s creativity “Barkamol avlod”, children’s schools of music and art. 

Today, life itself shows that without raising a child in the pre-school educational system, it is impossible to form a physically healthy and spiritually mature, harmoniously developed generation. 

Therefore, in order to form the skills and qualities of a mature personality in our children from the early childhood, we set ourselves the task of achieving full coverage of all children of our country by preschool educational institutions in the next 3-4 years, and we will make it happen, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev. 

If we take into account that today there are 272 thousand children at the age of 3-7 in Samarkand region, and only 74 thousand, or 27% out of them visit kindergartens, it becomes clear how relevant this issue is for Samarkand. 

The Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education, together with the Ministry of Preschool Education, the khokimiyat of Samarkand region was instructed to develop a complex of carefully and deeply thought out measures in a month, taking into account the best foreign experience in this sphere. 

It’s no secret that the issue of qualitative completion of preparation for the autumn/winter period on public services, electricity and gas supply is also inextricably linked with the interests of the population, said the President of our country. 

In the region, a certain work has been implemented on preparing the housing stock and social facilities for the autumn/winter season. However, we have to note with regret that the shortcomings identified as a result of the study by a working group, specially created on the basis of the additional demand of the population at places have not yet been eliminated. 

At the session, issues related to the activities of law enforcement agencies, the responsibility of managers and others were also discussed in detail. Necessary instructions were given on eliminating the identified shortcomings. 

At the session, the organizational issue was considered. On the proposal of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the acting khokim of Samarkand region Turabjon Djurayev was approved as a khokim of Samarkand region. 

Speakers at the session noted that today in Samarkand region, as well as across the country, a new stage of development has begun – a time of colossal transformations and renewal, while the main criterion of activity is the Action Strategy on further development of Uzbekistan that was developed and is being consistently implemented under the leadership of the President of our country Shavkat Mirziyoyev. At the session, the pace of development of Samarkand region was thoroughly analyzed and specific tasks for the future were identified.