INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 10

January 13, 2017

OFFICIALLY
Government of Uzbekistan adopts measures to improve transport service

TECHNOLOGIES
New smelting furnace launched at Almalyk Mining and Metallurgy Combine

SOCIETY
Uzbekistan: In the Interests of Working People

CULTURE
New Bookstore

OFFICIALLY

Government of Uzbekistan adopts measures to improve transport service
On 10 January, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan signed a Resolution "On measures on further improving system of public transport services and passenger bus services in towns and villages".
The document was adopted for further development of the sphere of transport security, the strengthening of the role of transportation services in achieving integrated socio-economic development of regions, solving the issues of employment of the population in the cities and villages of the country, enhancing the safety of passenger transport and reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
In recent years, the road transport sphere has taken significant measures to improve the quality of public services, to dynamically run the target parameters of development of transport services.
New regular routes of passenger transport are opening everywhere, while there number amounting today 4.3 thousand.
Some 3 thousand buses and 12 thousand passenger cars for general use have been commissioned just over the past 3 years, and it is worth to note that they are mainly of domestic production.
However, the work in this direction needs to be continued, with particular attention has to be paid to rural areas.
The adopted resolution aims to further improve transport security in the cities and villages of the Republic, primarily in rural areas, improve the safety of passenger traffic.
By 2021 it is planned to commission 303 new passenger routes, 240 of them will be laid at the suburban and long-distance connections (79.2 percent). Simultaneously with the opening of new routes, it is planned to restore currently idle roads, mainly due to the lack of buses.
More than 8.6 thousand passenger cars will be purchased over the next 5 years, including 5.7 thousand units of comfortable minibusses for general use.
Bus stops will be built according to standard designs with the maximum use of lightweight designs and available materials, primarily of domestic production (steel structures, sandwich panels, etc.).
In order to ensure the proper quality of passenger services, it is planned to introduce a constant remote monitoring of buses and minibusses online through GPS.
Another convenience to be implemented is payment using bank cards. E-payment systems are to be implemented step-by-step in the period until 1 July 2018, in the city of Nukus and regional centers.
The Uzbek Agency for automobile and river transport, which acts as an authorized body of state management on issues of structural and institutional transformations, promoting the formation and development of the market of services and security of road transport, has been entrusted with the coordination and control over the development and implementation of the complex of practical measures aimed at improving the culture and quality of passenger service.
Another worth to note fact is the implementation of an effective feedback mechanism of the Agency with the public through the website and hotline.
The cost of the Programme intended for the next 5 years makes up more than 840 billion soums (currency rates of CB RU from 13.01.2017, 1$= 3243.89 soums), mainly through the resources of the leasing company "Uzavtosanoat - leasing" and other leasing companies, commercial bank loans, own funds of private investors and funding from local budgets and other funds not prohibited by law.
(Source: UzReport.uz)

TECHNOLOGIES

New smelting furnace launched at Almalyk Mining and Metallurgy Combine
Engineering Dobersek GmbH (Germany) launched a new smelting furnace at copper smelting plant of Almalyk Mining and Metallurgy Combine with the cost of US$91.59 million.
AGMK said that new smelting furnace at copper smelting plant was launched and currently commissioning works are underway.
The cost of the project “Construction of new smelting furnace at copper smelting plant” made up US$91.59 million.
Engineering Dobersek GmbH (Germany) won the tender for construction of the smelting furnace. The project envisaged construction of smelting furnace on turnkey bases with the submerged lance with capacity of 17,000 tonnes of copper a year.
The project was financed due to own resources of AGMK for US$34.6 million, loan of Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan (FRDU) – US$29 million and loan of Ipoteka Bank – US$34.1 million, refinanced due to credit of Kommerzbank (Germany) at insurance coverage of Euler Hermes (Germany).
(Source: UzDaily.com)

SOCIETY

Uzbekistan: In the Interests of Working People
The Federation of Trade Unions has developed a new model project of the collective agreement for 2017 which is recommended to use in enterprises as an exemplary instance. The new edition includes standards which were provided in the new edition of the Laws "On Labor Protection" and "On trade unions, rights and guarantees of their activities" entered into force recently.
In particular, changes concern the trade union committee authorities on the implementation of public control over the performance of the legislation requirements of on employment, labor and trade unions at enterprise.
Now, in the contracts it is recommended to describe in detail the duties of the employer, to monthly transfer funds amounting to a certain percentage of the wage bill to the account of the trade union committee, not only for cultural and sports and sporting events, but also organization of excursions, purchasing tickets to concerts, theaters, parks of culture and rest, material assistance, encouragement and co-pay for the trade union committee of employees and other purposes determined by the collective agreement.
The contracts of new sample recommend to prescribe the duties of the employer to consider submitted ideas of the trade union committee on elimination of legislation violations and to inform the trade union committee on the result of consideration in a 15-day period.
On the basis of proposals of member organizations of the Trade Unions Federation it is reasonable to include a new norm - the extension of the collective agreement on part-time, in the collective agreements. It is also recommended the inclusion of the trade union committee representatives in the Commissions on making decisions related to the socio-economic interests of workers.
Trade unions insist on the organization of free medical examination of pensioners who have worked for many years at the company until retirement. In addition, the trade unions consider it necessary to establish public control over compliance with the terms of the quadripartite agreement on employment concluded between an employer, college, graduate and mayor (hokim).
In order to ensure full compliance with international labor standards the concept of "reputational risks for the enterprise" is introduced for the first time in the draft model contracts which provides the duty of the employer and the trade union committee to monitor the observance of fundamental principles and rights at work in the supply chain of raw materials, materials and components to the enterprise.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

CULTURE

New Bookstore
On the eve of the New Year, a new bookstore was opened in the center of the Ellikkala district of Karakalpakstan.
It belongs to the limited liability company "Bilim-service" and is built by means of a commercial bank soft loan in the amount of 180 million soums (currency rates of CB RU from 13.01.2017, 1$= 3243.89 soums).
Here, more than 5.5 thousand books on various subjects put up for sale. The sections "e-library" and "computer literacy" are of great interest among young people.
Books in sections "Children’s stories", "In aid of entrants", "Masterpieces of world literature" and others are presented for readers. Educational and office supplies also offered for sale. Currently, 12 young men and women work in the bookstore.
A new administrative building of mahallas "Toprakkala" and "Kavatkala" and shopping complex in the village “Guldursin” also became New Year gifts for residents of the district.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

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