ICT SPHERE: WAYS TO IMPROVE

The ICT sector gains the ever-growing significance in the economy, including production of computer and telecommunication technologies, elaboration of software and provision of a wide specter of interactive services.

The Legislative chamber of Oliy Majlis held parliamentary hearings devoted to the realization of the Integrated program on the development of the National information-communication system of the Republic.

Speaking to deputies of the parliament, minister on the development of information technologies and communications Kh.Mirzokhidov noted that this program designed for 2013-2030 serves an important factor for the advancement of the sphere of telecommunication technologies, networks and communication infrastructure. It is planned to implement 17 projects to the amount of 2,1 trillion soums within its framework, as awell as 28 undertakings on the creation of information system complexes and “e-government” data base system. As a result will be satisfied the needs of the state and the society in the efficient ICT-infrastructure for the feasible future.

The information system complexes have already been introduced in the tax, public utility sphere, customs, education, healthcare and others. For example, in the tax sphere it has been made possible to ensure full transition to electronic submission of tax reports and provide taxpayers with more than 50 types of advanced interactive services. In the customs area, thanks to provision of electronic declaration and registration of goods, as well as export-import contracts, the process of clearance of goods and provision of other related services has been reduced from three to one working day. More than 159 thousand or 100% of all cargo customs declarations were filled in an electronic form during the first half of 2016.

The minister underlined that the introduction of information systems facilitate not only the optimization and simplification of the service rendering process, but also saving financial resources. For instance, the “Kharid” platform set up for carrying out the system of government e-procurement operations resulted in saving of over 56 billion soums at electronic auction sales during the first six months of 2016.

It was noted that the information-communication technologies are being widely used in the field of the development of electronic payments. The clearing settlement system launched for effecting real-time retail payments secured a significant growth of on-line tax payment options, mandatory and utility payments. The number of on-line transaction via Internet, in particular, has increased 1,6 times over and reached 58,7 thousand, the number of users – 1,8 times over and exceeded 1,2 million persons. 62% of payments for utility services are effected today by the population in an electronic form.

The Unified portal of interactive government services continues to develop and cover new direction of activities. Currently it renders 289 types of services. In the sphere of small businesses and private entrepreneurship these include electronic submission of tax and statistical reporting, registration of foreign trade contracts, government registration of business entities, and filing applications for licenses and permit documents. For the population these services cover consideration of electronic appeals, issuance of archive references, submission of applications for social benefits, acceptance of children to pre-school educational institutions, etc.

One of the priority directions of the State policy is a broad introduction of modern information systems, hardware and technologies in the branches of the real sector of economy.

79 projects have been implemented on the introduction of information systems and software at the share holding companies, associations and large industrial enterprises of the country to the amount of 53,7 billion soums. This enabled to achieve a significant economic effect. The introduction of information systems in the administrative processes of the “Uzbmetkombinat” SHC had specifically reduced costs for the procurement of raw materials used in the manufacturing by 10-11%, while expenses at the “Uzbekkumir” were brought down by 10% and the cost of output – by 5%.

There are more than 330 manufacturing enterprises operating in the hardware market; they rendered services to the amount of more than 84 billion soums in the first half of 2016.

Particular significance in the Integrated program was allocated to improvement of the telecommunication infrastructure. In recent years, the bandwidth capacity of international trunk line data transmission networks increased 10 times over, those to regional centers - 4, district centers - 10, and 10 times over in Tashkent.
The deputies’ attention was drawn to the issues of timeliness and efficiency of realization of projects included into the Integrated program, as well as on the ways of improvement of our citizens’ quality of life, conditions for entrepreneurial activities, ensuring the openness of government bodies of administration and management for the population through the introduction of electronic services. In the course of hearings were also discussed the issues raised by the deputies of the Legislative chamber based on the complaints lodged by the citizens.

Noting the results achieved, the parliamentarians drew attention to the facts of inefficient implementation of the Integrated Program’s individual items. According to deputies, the information-explanatory work carried out on raising the populations’ computer literacy and citizens’ awareness about mechanisms on the use of implemented e-government electronic services requires radical improvement.

In the course of the hearings was elaborated a schedule on the development and adoption of regulatory legal acts in connection with the entry of the Law “On e-government” into force and on the implementation of the tasks outlined in the Integrated program, and steps were marked for further improvement of the national information legislation.

UZBEKISTAN TODAY