HOW THE STATE BUDGET WAS FULFILLED

The deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis have reviewed and approved at their session the reports on the execution of the State Budget and the budgets of State trust funds for 2015 and the first quarter of 2016.

The parliamentarians noted that the State Budget during the period under review was executed in compliance with the parameters approved earlier by the parliament of the country. The rates of GDP growth made up 8%, those of industrial production output – 8%, rural economy – 6.8%, while the inflation level equaled 5.6%.

The government attached great attention to further development of the social sphere, to the steady increase in the quality of the living standard of the country’s population. The actual total income per capita of the population increased by 9.6%, and the average monthly salary of budgetary organizations’ employees, pensions, social allowances and scholarships – by 21.9%.

Representatives of all factions of political parties and the deputy group of the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan spoke at the session in the course of discussion of the report.

Deputies of the Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party (UzLiDeP) noted the importance of supporting the development of small businesses, securing the freedom of entrepreneurial activity, and reduction of the Government’s presence in the economy. The share of this sphere of economy in the GDP has increased since the year 2000 from 31% up to 56.7%. To date this sphere produces a third of all industrial and 98% of agricultural output; it employs more than 77% of the employed population. It was also noted that the implemented moves on the construction and reconstruction of land-reclamation facilities promoted an increase in the volume of harvesting and storage, as well as deep industrial processing of agricultural output.

Members of the “Milliy tiklanish” Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (DPU) underlined that the volumes of expenditures channeled to preservation and maintenance of historical, architectural, and humanitarian heritage of the country had been increased. The resources spent from the State Budget serve the cause of ensuring the execution of the programs on restoration and conservation of the sites listed in the cultural and archeological heritage. In this connection the deputies called to strengthen parliamentary control over the utilization of resources allocated from local budgets. Particular stress was made on the need to proceed with the implementation of systemic moves on promoting the “Made in Uzbekistan” brand to the world market, and to render all-round assistance to national manufacturers producing import-substitution output.

Parliamentarians representing the National Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (NDPU) noted the targeted and purposeful utilization of budgetary resources assigned to the social sphere and to measures on the formation of revenues for the State Fund for promotion of employment of the population and targeted use of its expenses. Material assistance in the amount of 4.4 billion soums was paid out in 2015 through re-training of personnel, attracting people to paid public works and payment of unemployment allowances on account of the Fund’s resources.

The deputies came out with their recommendations on raising the responsibility of the bodies of Government administration and economic management in the center and on the ground for the targeted and efficient utilization of budget resources.

Members of the faction of the “Adolat” Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan drew the attention of parliamentarians to the fact that 15.9% more resources were allocated from the State Budget for scientific research compared with the similar period in 2014. Innovative development and maintenance of unique facilities servicing science had been well financed. This fully complies with the party program’s goals and objectives.

Members of the deputy group from the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan positively assessed the measures undertaken in the country on the protection of the environment and the health of the population. Thus, expenses on the environmental protection in 2015 made up 699.9 billon soums, including those on the protection of water and land resources – 18.6 billion; animals and plants – 7.1 billion; and biologic diversity – 7.3 billion soums.

When considering the report on the execution of the State budget and the budgets on State trust funds in the first quarter of 2016 the parliamentarians underlined that the realization of the adopted strategy had secured an increase in the country’s GDP by 7.5% under low level of inflation.

The construction of 13 thousand new comfortable individual standard design houses in rural areas with all necessary engineering, communication and social infrastructure had begun within framework of regional programs of socio-economic development of the regions since the beginning of the year.

More than 8,400 new small business facilities were built up in 2016, which is 5.5% more compared to the similar period of 2015. The volume of bank credits allocated them increased 1.3 times over compared with the first quarter of the last year. More than 167,400 new jobs have been created so far, among them 57.7% in rural areas.

The measures within the State program “The Year of Healthy Mother and Child” have been actively implemented with allocation of about 1.3 trillion soums in the first quarter of the year.

UZBEKISTAN TODAY