On February 10, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a videoconference on effective organization of the implementation of the State Program “Year of Supporting Youth and Improving Population Health”.

As is known, 2021 has been declared in Uzbekistan as the Year of Supporting Youth and Improving Population Health. The draft of the relevant program was submitted for public discussion, during which more than 2 thousand proposals and comments were received from the public, taking into account which the project was finalized and expanded.

The improved state program, approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of February 3, contains 273 paragraphs. About 30 trillion UZS, more than $2.6 billion, and 57 million euros will be allocated for its implementation.

The main goal of the state program is to provide comprehensive support to young people, promote a healthy lifestyle among the population, and improve people’s wellbeing through the development of the economy.

“We will have to implement this program in the context of the ongoing pandemic, in a situation of aggravation of the global crisis. No matter how difficult it may be, we must employ 500 thousand young people and 200 thousand women, and bring 300 thousand citizens out of poverty. If the system of work in the context of mahallas is properly established and if the state bodies carry out the tasks of the program diligently, wisely and scientifically, it will be possible to make drastic changes”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

As it was noted at the meeting, it is necessary to improve roads, water and electricity supplies, irrigation networks, and bring reforms in medicine and education to the most remote villages in 33 districts that are lagging in development, and 970 mahallas with a difficult situation.

To do this, Deputy Prime Ministers, heads of ministries and agencies, hokims and sector heads are required to organize the implementation of the program in districts and mahallas, use resources rationally, and work hard based on order and discipline.

“There are many managers, many responsible officials, but there are no people who deal with the concerns of the people. All solutions are feasible. But the most important drawback is that there is no control, ministers, hokims do not do their best”, the President said.

The tasks in two priority areas of the state program – economy and social sphere – were discussed at the meeting.

The program provides for 113 economic development activities. The main focus is on creating new jobs.

So, those who want to start their own business will be allocated up to 7 million UZS subsidies, and those in need of social support will be compensated for the cost of vocational training for 1 million UZS.

Responsible persons were instructed to approve and implement the procedure for allocating these funds as soon as possible. It is expected that this measure will employ 20 thousand people by the end of the year.

As is known, young people who want to engage in agriculture, began to receive allotments ranging from 10 acres to 1 hectare. The Head of the state stressed that the main criteria in this process should be justice and honesty, it is necessary to take into account public opinion.

The importance of the effective distribution of 6 trillion UZS of credit funds allocated to support family businesses, increasing the entrepreneurial potential of mahallas based on their growth points was emphasized.

This year, it is planned to launch 226 large industrial and infrastructure facilities due to investments worth $23 billion. The President instructed responsible persons to conduct constant monitoring of all processes, to ensure timely and high-quality implementation of projects.

It is planned to improve and develop the infrastructure of 22 major pilgrimage sites in Karakalpakstan and regions. Besides, the procedure for reimbursing air carriers in the amount of 25 percent of the cost of air tickets, tour operators – 15 percent of air and rail tickets for domestic tours and 10 percent of the cost of hotel services will be introduced. It was noted that this new mechanism will help attract 1.7 million foreign and 7.5 million domestic tourists in 2021.

The state program also includes large-scale creative activities. Thus, by the end of the year, it is planned to repair more than 10 thousand kilometers of internal and rural roads, update 15 thousand kilometers of power lines and 4 thousand transformers, provide clean drinking water to more than 700 settlements. It is planned to build 21 thousand houses in cities and 8.8 thousand houses in rural areas.

At the meeting, these measures were discussed in the context of the regions, and additional instructions were given to responsible persons. It was noted that it is necessary to continue improving the system of public services, repair multi-storey housing stock and elevators, reconstruct bridges and form their cadaster.

The procedure for taking into account the growth points in the formation of Obod Qishloq and Obod Mahalla programs and submitting them to the local council of people's deputies was defined.

The instruction was given to reclaim 320 thousand hectares of land this year, rationally place crops on them, reconstruct pumping stations and introduce water-saving technologies. To ensure food security, the task was set to increase the production of meat and dairy products, eggs and fish, and to launch 1.5 thousand new projects worth 6 trillion UZS this year.

The state program includes 93 paragraphs aimed at social support, development of medicine, education and other humanitarian spheres. The most important issues were highlighted at the meeting, and measures for their implementation were identified.

It was instructed to create a Children's Support Fund and allocate 100 billion UZS from the budget, as well as attract grants from international financial institutions. The need for providing housing for low-income graduates of orphanages until September 1 this year was emphasized.

Starting June 1, 2021, a procedure for the calculation of work experience for the period until 2005 was introduced, when a pension based on employment records, without the need to provide supporting documents. As a result, by the end of the year, 100 thousand people will be able to receive a pension in a simplified order, and next year – another 200 thousand citizens.

The task was set to build 22 kindergartens and 31 new schools this year at the expense of the budget, and to open one school in each district with an in-depth study of physics.

During the discussion of health issues, the need was noted for starting vaccination against coronavirus. The Ministry of Health was instructed to determine the categories of the population that will be vaccinated first, to compile an electronic list of vaccinated people, to create more than 3 thousand vaccination points in family polyclinics and rural medical centers, and an additional 800 mobile teams.

Instructions were given for the repair and equipment of cultural centers, museums and theaters.

“The main goal of the state program is not paperwork or reporting, but achieving practical results, achieving positive changes in people's lives. To do this, every manager must show results in their work”, the President said.

The regional, district and city councils of people's deputies were recommended to develop an action plan for the implementation of the state program on their territory, and the Ministry of Justice was instructed to establish district-wide control over the implementation of each item of the program.

The Cabinet of Ministers will critically review the implementation of the program monthly and promote the timely and full implementation of the tasks. The Chambers of the Oliy Majlis will hear quarterly information from the Prime Minister and members of the government on the implementation of the State Program and make proposals aimed at improving the efficiency of the ministries and agencies.

The Prime Minister and his deputies, ministers and hokims reported on the upcoming work in the implementation of the state program.

Source: Official website of the President of Uzbekistan