INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 104

May 29, 2017

POLITICS
Increasing welfare and improving people’s living conditions are our primary goals

INFRASTRUCTURE
Uzbekistan: Apartment Buildings to Become Cozier

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Trade-economic cooperation developing

SOCIETY
Uzbekistan: Children’s Summer-2017

POLITICS

Increasing welfare and improving people’s living conditions are our primary goals
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the “Suzuk ota” mausoleum and mosque in Shayhontohur district of the capital city on 26 May.
In the years of independence, priority attention is given to ensuring freedom of worship and religious tolerance in this country. Such qualities as faith, love and generosity serve as an important basis for the raising of the morality of Uzbek people.
Under the leadership of the President, good work is being carried out to restore national customs, traditions and values, to thoroughly study our sacred religion and the rich heritage of great thinkers of the past and to preserve historical sites.
Suzuk ota’s real name is Mustafoqul. He was born in the year 1140. He was the youngest son of Gavhari Hushtoj, Ahmad Yassaviy’s daughter. When he was a child, his grandfather said to him: “Welcome, my suzuk (favourite) grandchild.” Then people around also started calling him by this particular name. Suzuk ota gave education to hundreds of his apprentices. In the years 1363-1364, our great ancestor Amir Temur had these mausoleum and mosque built at the grave of Suzuk ota, Ahmad Yassaviy’s grandchild.
In the years of independence, this sacred place was restored and improved.
There area more than five thousand people living in the “Suzuk ota” neighbourhood. Craftsmanship, carpentry and wood carving are developed in this neighbourhood.
In accordance with our holy religion, suras from the Koran were recited at the mausoleum.
This mausoleum and mosque should serve to further raise our moral standards and to augment the rays of goodness in our country, said the Head of State.
A library and a centre of craftsmanship should be built here.
The President gave officials instructions to improve areas around the mosque.
* * *
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has made a familiarization visit to the site of construction of a modern park of culture and recreation at the intersection of Beltepa Street and Jarariq Street in Shayhontohur district.
In this park’s construction project, a special emphasis is put on a harmonious consonance between modern architectural solutions and national culture traditions. The park’s area is 10 hectares. Here a roofed pavilion, modern attractions, gazebos, a winter garden, an observation wheel, light and music fountains, skateboarding areas, ice hills, cableways, a café, cycling lanes and a 5-storey car park are to be built.
The roofed pavilion will create broad possibilities for recreational activities all year round. In the park’s area, solar energy powered lighting systems will be installed.
In order to provide a good microclimate, such trees as magnolias, oaks, birches, pine trees, chestnut trees, pagoda trees will be planted in the park, as will various shrubs.
In this park of recreation, possibilities will be created for conducting nationwide holidays, big shows, concerts, exhibitions, forums, sports competitions and master classes.
The first phase of the project’s implementation will cost 18 million and its second phase will cost 22 million dollars.
The first phase will be completed in the year 2018, and the second phase in 2019. When the park is entirely completed, 350 people will be provided with jobs.
The Head of State said, looking at the park’s project, that this park should be a favourite place of inhabitants and guests of the capital city.
Our most important task is to create decent working conditions and recreational facilities for our people, said the President.
The necessary instructions were given to officials and managers on carrying out the construction work to good quality standards.
(Source: UzA)

INFRASTRUCTURE

Uzbekistan: Apartment Buildings to Become Cozier
In just a few days, the Ministry of Housing and Public Utility Services will begin the realization of a program for the repair, face-lifting and improvement of the operating conditions of the apartment housing stock for 2017-2021. How will our residential neighborhoods change in the coming years? Our correspondent has received detailed layout from the specialists.
The main difference from the previous similar program, which was not implemented in the best way for various reasons, is the presence of a single coordinating body represented by the Ministry of Housing and Public Utility Services.
To date, there are more than 33 thousand apartment buildings in the republic, of which over 29 thousand will be repaired. The largest amount of work will be conducted in Tashkent, since almost one-third of the country’s multi-apartment housing stock is located here.
First of all they will repair themselves. In total, it is necessary to refit 11,708.7 thousand square meters of the roof. In plans - recondition of 66,070 entrances. In 42.5 thousand of them it is necessary to install iron doors with code locks. In 18,697, the repair of intra-house networks is planned. The program also includes the need to renovate the facades of about 18.5 thousand houses.
The poor condition of elevators was also taken into account. To date, a total of 5,316 elevators are operating in multi-unit buildings across the country. A preliminary assessment showed that more than half of the elevator equipment needed a refit or replacement. And these works are planned for the next five years.
Much attention will be placed on the beautification of local areas. According to the adopted program, almost all of them need recondition and improvement. As part of the solution to this problem, it is necessary to renovate and build more than 14 thousand playgrounds. The parameters of reconstruction and repair of irrigation ditches, sidewalks and lighting systems of adjacent territories were approved. Admittedly, they will be corrected during the implementation of the program and cost estimation.
The equipping norms of the newly created repair and recovery services were also approved. It is supposed that they will receive the most up-to-date equipment that is necessary for the maintenance of the multi-apartment fund and local areas. These are all kinds of cranes, welding machines, other plumbing equipment and even lawn-mowers.
The engineering company for the construction and reconstruction of the multi-apartment housing stock and heat supply facilities will be the customer of all performed works within the program, and the joint-stock company (JSC) "Toshuyjoyliti" will become the general design organization. The joint-stock commercial Uzsanoatqurilishbank is approved as an authorized bank which provides the financing for housing and communal services organizations. The JSC Qurilishmashleasing is defined as a specialized leasing company for equipping of the organizations that provides the housing and communal services with the necessary technology and repair and construction equipment.
The commercial banks to implement the program are recommended to allocate preferential loans to the State Unitary Enterprise "Repair and Restoration Service" and private homeowners’ associations. Taking into account that today many private homeowners’ associations have existing loans, banks are recommended to prolong the earlier loans for a period of five years. To do this, the association must apply to the bank with the relevant application.
Minister Comments
The Minister of Housing and Public Utility Services Erkin Iskandarov:
— Over 1.8 trillion soums (currency rates of CB RU from 29.05.2017, 1$= 3820.46 soums) will be allocated for the realization of the Program for repair, improvement and bettering the operating conditions of the multi-apartment housing stock for 2017-2021. These funds are local budgets of the regions, the Housing and Communal Services Development Fund, private homeowner associations, loans from commercial banks and international financial institutions, as well as leasing.
I want to draw your attention to the fact that all these measures will be effective if the members of the private homeowners’ associations and their boards actively interact with our units, and the heads of the partnerships will take this issue with responsibility. Therefore, in the near future, it is planned to conduct special courses on the preparation of all chairmen of private homeowners’ associations.
It will be good if each co-owner of the apartment re-reads the law "On the private homeowners’ associations of housing" and will continue to be active in realizing the rights and responsibilities with which was given him/her. I want to emphasize that all the measures currently being taken by the state are aimed primarily at assisting the private homeowners’ associations to solve their problems in the maintenance of common property.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Trade-economic cooperation developing
A scheduled session of the Uzbekistan-Turkey intergovernmental commission for trade-economic cooperation has taken place at Uzexpocentre on 25 May.
The session was attended by the heads of ministries and departments and companies of the two countries responsible for such spheres as economics, banking, finance, trade, investment, energy, agriculture, textile, food production, health care, pharmaceuticals, tourism, culture, information technology, transport and supply lines, logistics, building materials production and electrical engineering.
Rustam Azimov, deputy prime minister of Uzbekistan and co-chairman of the commission, and others said that cooperation between Uzbekistan and Turkey was developing in all these areas. Agreements reached during top-level meetings serve as an important law-based foundation for this.
The 14 May 2017 meeting between President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Beijing within the One Belt, One Road forum, and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Uzbekistan on 17-18 November 2016 gave a new impetus to the bilateral cooperation.
The law-based foundation for the two countries’ cooperation is increasingly strengthening. These countries have great potential for developing trade and economic relations. Today there are 441 Turkish firms and companies working in Uzbekistan. In the year 2016, the two countries’ bilateral trade amounted to 1.2 billion dollars.
It was noted at the session of the intergovernmental commission that Uzbekistan and Turkey were interested in further increasing the bilateral trade and expanding the scale of trade-economic and investment cooperation. It was emphasized that the two countries had big potential for the development of cooperation in such spheres as economic partnership, finance, tourism, transport and supply lines.
At the session, special attention was given to the issues of increasing the volume and expanding the assortment of goods of the bilateral trade, the development of investment and financial-technical cooperation, tourism infrastructure modernization, the extensive processing of agricultural produce and the implementation of projects within the “Urgut” free economic zone to create hi-tech modern industrial facilities.
The visitors highly evaluated the results of Uzbekistan’s trade-economic and investment policy, conditions created in this country for the attraction of foreign investments and opportunities in free economic zones.
Yildirim Tugrul Turkes, deputy prime minster of Turkey and co-chairman of the commission for trade-economic cooperation, said specifically that the Uzbek and Turkish peoples had centuries-long history, common values and similar customs and traditions.
“We are glad about the dynamic development of economic cooperation and trade and cooperation in such spheres as investment attraction, tourism and transport,” said Yildirim Tugrul Turkes.
At the event, special attention was paid to issues of working out and implementing joint economic projects and increasing the volumes of trade. Turkish businessmen participated in discussion about the implementation of joint projects in such spheres as food, textile and leather production, electrical engineering and the production of pharmaceuticals, building materials and consumer goods.
An agreement was reached on further developing the tourism infrastructure of Uzbekistan with the attraction of Turkish companies, on building modern tourism complexes conforming to international standards in Uzbekistan’s historical cities.
As a result of the session of the intergovernmental commission, a joint protocol and other documents were signed.
On the same day, an investment forum and a cooperative exchange took place between business circles of Uzbekistan and Turkey. In the course of these, there was discussion of issues of more broadly using the economic and investment potential and existing possibilities of the two countries.
(Source: UzA)

SOCIETY

Uzbekistan: Children’s Summer-2017
The current children’s health season opens in our country from the 1st of June. There will be organized 1290 children’s camps, among them 214 stationary, 936 daytime, 140 camps of work and rest. This was reported to the correspondent of Uzbekistan Today in the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan.
These figures indicate that the number of children’s camps increased by 140 in relation to the previous year. During the summer, more than 294 thousand children will have rest there; this exceeds last year’s figure by more than 7 thousand. Over 52.3 billion soums (currency rates of CB RU from 29.05.2017, 1$= 3820.46 soums) are allocated for these purposes.
In accordance with the annual targeted programs, 14 camps were built and overhauled in recent years, and 36 were reconstructed. This year, on the basis of the targeted program for 2017, the Federation of Trade Unions will put into operation two new children’s health camps – the “Amudarya” in the Surkhandarya region and the “Avtomobilchi” in Khorezm.
In the Year of dialogue with the people and human interests, the attention is focused on supporting the children from socially vulnerable families. In particular, under the special care of the state - 4,5 thousand children from the Aral Sea region who will be provided with free vouchers to the camps of Jizzakh, Samarkand, Kashkadarya and Tashkent regions. Trade unions will provide free and privileged vouchers for 40 thousand children from socially vulnerable families through collective agreements and contracts, as well as 2 thousand inmates of “Mehribonlik” homes (orphanages) and the children with disabilities. 2.5 thousand mothers and children will recover the health in the sanatoriums of the trade union system. In addition, 500 children from the Navoi region will be rehabilitated by the sponsorship of the “Navoi” mining and metallurgical combinat, and 100 children from Jizzakh region will rest thanks to financial support of joint-stock company Jizzakh Battery Plant.
Innovations are introduced in the activities of labor and recreation camps for the students of secondary specialized professional institutions. For the pupils of academic lyceums, they are created in their educational institution, and for the students of colleges - at enterprises, organizations and farms. This will enable young men and women to boost their skills in their chosen professions, engage in useful work, and pass to the production practice.
Another innovation of this season is the enhancement of the activities of a number of specialized camps. This year their number will reach 218, including 15 - in the direction of intellectual development, 14 - educational and sports, 14 - ecological and biological, 14 - technical creativity, 14 - artistic creativity, 7 - social adaptation and 140 - work and leisure.
In particular, the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan will organize a camp for intellectual development in the children’s health camp "Quyoshli". There will provided a free rest and improvement of 500 winners of the contest "Competitions of knowledge" on various school subjects. Similar camps will be organized in each region of the country.
For the meaningful organization and conduct of the summer season, efforts are made by all ministries, departments and public structures. In particular, the Ministry of Culture and Sports plans to organize the cultural and educational activities with the participation of young performers, artists and culture. They will also organize the sports and tournaments that strengthen the children’s health and the events aimed at increasing their spirituality.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

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