President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has held a meeting with hokims of the Ferghana region and its districts, officials responsible for spheres and industries, as well as representatives of the wider public.

Considerable efforts are undertaken currently in Uzbekistan to reduce poverty, ensure employment and increase population incomes. The head of our state noted at the meeting that extensive works on this front have been launched in Ferghana, as well, and set the goal to rescue more than 43 thousand families from poverty by the end of the year.

In particular, about 14 thousand families will be able to get on their feet through small business, family entrepreneurship and self-employment. Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed the executives to increase the amount of credit resources by 25 percent for funding such projects, to allocate 400 billion soums in the form of loans within family business promotion programs.

Measures will be taken to take 6 thousand families from poverty through the implementation of investment projects and the development of free economic zones, and more than 17 thousand families – through agriculture.

Thus, orchards and vineyards are expected to be set up on 4 thousand hectares of sown land where grain was previously grown, and on 3.5 thousand hectares taken out of circulation. Under the State Forestry Committee, a Scientific Center for Medicinal Plants will be established, and the cultivation of such crops on 10 thousand hectares will begin.

For Ferghana, the decision to reduce losses and introduce modern technologies in the irrigation system is also important, for which $ 50 million will be assigned from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development.

The meeting participants also identified urgent tasks in housing construction, improvement of drinking water supply and sewage networks.

The President stressed the importance of expanding the “projects factory” based on the Ferghana experience, of setting up training courses in IT centers and engaging for these purposes more than 262 thousand young people a year.

Deputy Prime Ministers, ministers, officials of economic sectors as well as hokims presented their reports at the session.

Source: Official website of the President of Uzbekistan