07.06.2022

On June 7, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a videoconferencing on the development of the services sector.

The services is a sector of the economy that allows creating jobs quickly and at low costs. Therefore, the consumer service centers are being established in the regions, vocational training of the unemployed is organized, funds and conditions are provided to them.

On January 27, this year the President signed a Resolution «On additional measures for the development of the services sector», according to which the sphere was given several preferences. The preferential resources were allocated.

This year, it is set to implement more than 120 thousand new projects in this sector and increase the volume of services to 435 trillion Uzbek soums.

The work, carried out in the regions in this direction, was analyzed at the meeting, which was held in a critical manner.

It was noted that the results have been achieved where the khokims (governors) think about people, work honestly and help entrepreneurs with land, buildings and infrastructure. For example, thousands of jobs have been created in the city of Tashkent, Samarkand, Ferghana and Andijan regions.

In January-May, 232 thousand jobs were created in the services sector. However, the indicators of Jizzakh, Navoiy, Khorezm and Kashkadarya regions remain low.

Over the past two months, 12 thousand land plots for service facilities have been put up for bids. However, less than 10 plots are put up for sale at 27 districts.

In this regard, the disciplinary measures have been taken against khokims of cities and districts, their deputies for construction, who had allowed for shortcomings in their work.

The Bukhara experience was cited as an example during the discussion of plans for the development of the services sector by the end of the year.

For example, the entrepreneurs have organized restaurants and cafeterias on the roofs of hotels, canteens and shops in Bukhara. The analysis of the effectiveness of concessional loans showed that the average cost of creating one workplace in Bukhara amounted to only 8-9 million Uzbek soums.

The responsible officials were instructed to implement this practice in other cities and district centers, as well as to develop security requirements and rental conditions.

In general, there are about 4 thousand administrative buildings on the balance of state bodies, which are located in convenient places and along the streets with heavy traffic. It was underscored that these buildings and structures could also be effectively used in the services sector.

Availability of space is important for the organization of service stations. In this regard, it was decided at the meeting that another 25 thousand land plots for service and trade facilities shall be put up for bids.

For the convenience of the population, the process of putting land up for auction shall be reduced from 48 to 15 days for rent and from 74 to 20 days for acquisition of ownership. The evaluation of land plots shall not be subject to examination. The actual value shall be determined at an auction.

However, from January 1, 2023, the procedure for coordinating a cadastral information with other departments while putting land up for an auction shall be canceled. A cadastral data of all ministries shall be included in the National Geographic Information System.

It is set to organize 253 special streets of trade and service at 205 districts and cities by September 1 this year. Last year, 1,4 trillion Uzbek soums were allocated from the state budget for these purposes, as well as this year – 900 billion Uzbek soums.

For example, the dead-end street in Jizzakhlik makhalla (local neighborhood community area) of the city of Jizzakh is connected to the central street of Sharof Rashidov, while the trade and service facilities are allowed to work around the clock. As a result, the business received a boost and 200 jobs were created.

The regional khokims were instructed to create similar streets in cities and districts.

Another example: there are 3 hotels in the famous Omonkhona Resort in Surkhandrya Region’s Baysun District. However, the visitors are placed at the guesthouses due to the lack of staying places. If a road leading to the sanatorium is improved, the number of visitors shall increase, and more than 200 trade and service facilities can be opened along the road. Based on this, the responsible officials were given instructions on the development of the Omonkhona Village.

The task was set to attract foreign consulting companies and experts based on this approach, to develop a master plan for 28 cities and districts with high potential in the services sector.

The President has noted the need for simplifying the requirements for trading activities based on the mobile vehicles and light structures.

In particular, homeowners’ associations, makhallas (the local neighborhood community areas), landscaping and road organizations shall be allowed to open seasonal cafes and retail outlets on their territories. This shall provide jobs for about 50 thousand people.

The issues of attracting private investors to a transport sector, expanding the range of services, and transforming the activities of the Committee for Roads were also discussed at the meeting.

The President has touched upon the results of the recent elections at makhallas and congratulated the chairpersons on their election.

«Being the head of a makhalla is a big responsibility. The chairpersons of makhallas should be leaders in bringing reforms in the country to every family, improving the level of prosperity of our people, raising issues of concern to the khokims. The implementation of specific tasks, set for the development of the services sector today, should also begin from a makhalla», Shavkat Mirziyoyev has said.

The deputy prime ministers, ministers, khokims and their assistants reported at the meeting. They have outlined their plans and proposals.