The Legislative chamber of the Oliy Majlis held its regular session on 15 September. The deputies reviewed the report on the execution of the State budget and budgets of state targeted funds over the first half of 2016.
The session saw heads of relevant ministries and departments, representatives of the media.
Questions on the agenda were addressed by Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan M. Mirzaev in his report.
As was noted, the modernization of the economy through diversification and structural transformation of production, introduction of modern, advanced technologies contributes to the improvement of the competitiveness of the national economy on the world stage. Thus, during the reporting period, the gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.8%, the volume of industrial production has also increased by 6.7%.
Implementation of active investment policy aimed at modernization, technical and technological renewal of production, the development of transport and communication infrastructure has allowed to raise the volume of investments by 11.8%, the volume of construction contract works – by 17.5%.
High economic growth rates have been achieved due to maintaining macroeconomic balance, reflecting the positive balance of foreign trade turnover, state budget surplus to gross domestic product ratio at 0.1% and low inflation rates.
The past period of the current year secured the social orientation of expenditures of the state budget, the government has paid great attention to continuously improve the level and quality of life of the population. More than 4.4 trillion soums and $111 million were utilized at the expense of all sources just in the framework of the state program “Year of a healthy mother and child”.
This year, construction is under way of some 13 thousand individual houses on standard projects. Those projects, to be commissioned in rural areas will have all the necessary engineering-communication and social infrastructure. The construction of more than 5.1 million houses has already been completed as of today.
During the discussions, the government representatives answered all questions of deputies on the state budget execution.
Further, Chairman of the Committee on budget and economic reforms of the Legislative chamber of Oliy Majlis A. Shadmanov addressed the participants.
According to him, consistent implementation of major tasks and priorities of economic program for the current year has allowed to maintain high rates of economic growth performance and macroeconomic stability. The State budget was executed in accordance with the parameters approved by the Parliament.
In the course of the scrutiny of the execution of the State budget, the representatives of political parties and the Deputy group of the Ecological movement of Uzbekistan expressed their views and suggested practical recommendations for the effective and targeted use of budget funds, observance of financial discipline in budgetary organizations, enhancing the accountability of public bodies for compliance with the Budget code.
The members of the faction of Movement of entrepreneurs and businessmen – liberal democratic party of Uzbekistan noted the importance of further support towards the small business development, which is one of the priority areas of market reforms implemented in the country, in ensuring the freedom of entrepreneurship, reduction of state involvement in the economy. Active work was conducted in this direction in the first half of the current year. 305 state assets were sold to private owners with investment commitments worth 267.5 billion soums. Small business entities were allocated loans worth 8.3 trillion soums, exceeding the previous year indicator by 1.3 times.
The members of the faction also expressed their opinions and recommendations on the further stimulation of attraction of direct foreign investments, increasing the sales volumes of raw materials on the open markets and fair-trading with a purpose of dynamic development of private property, small business and private entrepreneurship and thus enhancing their purchasing power.
Members of the Democratic party “Milly Tiklanish” on the basis of their own program goals, highlighted the results of the measures taken towards the support of exporters, diversification of exports, development of new markets for the realization of domestic products. In particular, since the beginning of the year, some 600 enterprises have been involved in the export activity.
Representatives of factions drew attention to the issues of compliance of tax legislation by business entities, effective use of granted privileges and preferences, strengthening the revenue part of local budgets on the basis of the perfection of interbudgetary relations, as well as efficient use of existing capacity of local state authorities.
The members of the faction of People/’s democratic party of Uzbekistan drew attention to the issues of further improvement of targeted social protection and support of the population, the program of creation of new jobs and ensuring employment of the population. As was noted, 462.5 new jobs were created in the first half of 2016, 59.8% of them in rural areas.
In addition, the members of the faction noted the existence of certain shortcomings in the execution of the program. Thus, the information provided by the local public administration had discrepancies, in this regard, recommendations were made to eliminate them. It was noted that the issue of employment of college graduates still needs a greater control.
According to the Social democratic party of Uzbekistan “Adolat”, more than 4.4 trillion soums and $111 million were channeled towards the implementation of the State program “Year of a healthy mother and child”. A constant parliamentary control has been organized over target use of funds allocated from the State budget.
The representatives of the factions, on the basis of their election platform noted that some 82.7 billion soums were channeled towards the development of science, which is important in further improving the scientific and technical potential of the country. The deputies made proposals to optimize the funding of priority directions of the state scientific-technical programmes, including the programmes of fundamental and industrial researches, as well as innovative developments.
Members of the parliamentary group of the Ecological movement of Uzbekistan emphasized that the issues of environmental protection, rational use of natural resources and solving environmental problems are priority areas of the state policy that promotes social development, in particular, environmental sustainability, strengthening the population health and wide introduction of modern and clean technologies.
Deputies noted that the amount of funds allocated for certain lines of activities for the protection of the environment is insufficient to complete the solution of environmental problems. They also made suggestions on the proper use of state budget funds allocated for repair of water treatment plants, land reclamation, neutralization and disposal of wastes.
Taking into account the views and suggestions expressed during the discussion, the report of the Cabinet of Ministers on the execution of the State budget of the Republic of Uzbekistan and budgets of state targeted funds in the first half of 2016 was approved and a resolution was adopted.
