23.01.2026

An expanded meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was held to discuss key tasks in the area of poverty reduction and employment for 2026.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Head of our state briefly reviewed the results of 2025.

It was noted that last year, the growth of the national economy reached much higher rates than preliminary forecasts, amounting to 7,7 percent, and the gross domestic product exceeded $147 billion. Growth rates in all sectors of the economy were higher than in 2024. The volume of foreign investment attracted reached $43 billion, and exports amounted to $33,8 billion.

Despite high economic activity and growing consumer demand, the inflation rate fell from 9.8 percent in 2024 to 7.3 percent.

- As economic growth strengthens, there is an opportunity to increase the amount of funds allocated to infrastructure development. This, in turn, serves to ensure employment, income growth, and an increase in the well-being of the population, - noted the President.

The Head of State noted that in the past year alone, 366 thousand families were lifted out of poverty, and as a result of measures taken to ensure employment and increase incomes, the poverty rate fell from 8,9 percent to 5,8 percent, and the unemployment rate from 5,5 percent to 4,8 percent.

- All this is the result of reforms and shows that trust between the state and the people is steadily growing. However, there is still a lot of work to be done, - said the President.

As noted, the mahalla is a key link that provides a clear answer to the question of where reforms are working and where they are failing. If there are still unemployed or low-income families in the mahalla, it means that the reforms have not reached that place. If the “mahalla seven” fail to solve the problems of the population, it means that the system is not working.

- There are opportunities and resources, there are solutions and programs. The only thing missing is responsibility, including personal responsibility, - highlighted the Head of State.

The President criticized the fact that hokims and the “mahalla seven” lack the methodological knowledge and practical experience to take advantage of the available opportunities, and that the responsible ministries and departments do not provide them with support.

Responsible officials have been instructed to develop a methodological guide within a month based on a study of the opportunities in mahallas with high levels of unemployment and poverty, as well as best practices. The hokims, in turn, will be personally responsible for its implementation at the local level, ensuring employment for the population, increasing incomes, and finding specific solutions to the problems faced by people.

The meeting set targets for providing permanent employment to 1 million people this year, lifting 181 thousand families out of poverty, increasing the number of poverty-free mahallas by 2,5 times to 3,5 thousand and reducing unemployment and poverty to 4.5 percent.

Issues related to ensuring employment and increasing incomes in “difficult” areas and mahallas were discussed in detail. 

It was noted that, first and foremost, it is necessary to ensure a stable electricity supply to such settlements.

To this end, small solar power plants with a capacity of 300 kilowatts will be built in each of the 903 mahallas and transferred to them as a free asset. These stations will create an economic asset in each mahalla, generating additional income of 400-500 million soums.

The “green” income generated will be used to implement “green” measures, in particular, energy-efficient renovation of houses of needy families, reduction of electricity costs, and improvement of the quality of life. Members of low-income families living in these mahallas will be involved in the operation of solar power stations.

These measures will also be implemented in another thousand mahallas with a high level of specialization. Small solar stations will be transferred to the mahallas in ready-to-use condition for a period of seven years on interest-free lease terms.

The President emphasized that deepening the specialization of mahallas is key to reducing unemployment and poverty.

It was noted that currently, 903 “difficult” mahallas have 100 thousand hectares of private and leased land. If the hokims, together with the “seven,” improve water supply in these mahallas, provide seeds and seedlings, and establish specialization, the income and living conditions of the population could improve significantly. 

Additional financial mechanisms will be introduced to encourage specialization in mahallas. In particular, 50 percent of the cost of purchasing certified seedlings for owners of private plots and farms will be reimbursed from the budget. Subsidies ranging from 20 thousand to 70 thousand soums will be allocated for trellises. Owners of plots who have introduced drip irrigation will be paid compensation of 160 thousand soums per 100 square meters.

Experienced farmers will receive a reward of 2 million soums for every 10 households that have established export production, and an additional 75 million soums if at least 30 percent of all households with garden plots achieve this.

In addition, this year, 4,000 low-income families will be provided with 50 acres free of charge for 10 years, for a total of 2,000 hectares of forest land for the creation of mulberry orchards. To organize sericulture cooperation, families in need will be allocated 4 million soums in subsidies, and those wishing to engage in sericulture at home will receive up to 20 million soums in interest-free loans for the arrangement of premises and the purchase of equipment.

The meeting noted that this year, 140 trillion soums in loans will be allocated for the development of small and medium-sized businesses.

- It should be said openly that banks currently offer loans to all regions and cities on the same terms. But the opportunities and conditions in Almazar and Bozatov differ. Therefore, in 37 “difficult” regions, loans will be provided at 12 percent under the “Family Business” program, - said the President.

In all regions, the maximum amount of a preferential loan under the family business support program will be increased by 1,5 times and will reach 50 million soums. Unsecured loans of up to 100 million soums can be obtained for the purchase of imported and certified breeding animals, and up to 150 million soums for equipping a guest house, installing small refrigeration equipment, and mini-technologies for storing and processing products.

In 563 mahallas located in border areas and enclaves, the amount of credit for entrepreneurial projects will be increased to 1 billion soums. To this end, an additional 2 trillion soums will be allocated under the Family Entrepreneurship program, in addition to the planned 3.6 trillion soums.

To deepen the specialization of mahallas, banks will allocate a total of 17 trillion soums in loans this year. At the same time, 4 percent of the loan will be compensated for production projects, and 6 percent for processing projects.

It was noted that the work of the hokims' assistants should be organized on a project basis. 

A portfolio of projects to be implemented on a project basis will be formed for each district. In “difficult” mahallas, vacant land plots and state-owned facilities will be sold at 2-3 times the reduced initial cost.

The 100 “difficult” mahallas that have shown the best results in job creation and increasing the population's income will be allocated additional funding in the amount of 1 billion soums. The hokim assistants working in these mahallas will be sent on monthly training courses to countries such as China, Türkiye, Korea, and Malaysia.

As an example, a project to be implemented along the Kaykovus canal in the Almazar district was cited. A two-kilometer section of this canal passes through eight mahallas in the Old City. Now, the hokim assistants of these mahallas will unite into a single project group and, based on a holistic concept, will engage in the development of trade, service, and recreational infrastructure along the canal bank.

Similar project teams consisting of hokim assistants will be organized to implement projects in the areas of tourism, education, medical care, renovation, and the development of waterfront areas and busy streets.

The practice established in the capital to improve the efficiency of the “mahalla seven” will now be extended to all districts and cities. From now on, the assistant to the hokim, a female activist, and a youth leader will be appointed and dismissed by the district hokim based on the recommendation of the mahalla chairman.

The Head of State drew attention to another important aspect. It was noted that a large-scale campaign to conduct a census of the population and agriculture has been launched in the country.

At present, 4 million 776 thousand households out of 7 million 613 thousand have been counted. However, this process is slow in Tashkent, as well as in Fergana, Surkhandarya, Bukhara, and Tashkent regions.

- This important event is being held in our country for the first time in 37 years. The census allows us to determine the real situation of each mahalla and each family and, on this basis, to make plans for the future and, most importantly, to introduce effective mechanisms aimed at improving the well-being of the population, - said the President, calling on all compatriots to actively participate in the census.

The meeting also heard reports and proposals of district hokims, mahalla chairmen and hokim assistants.