Uzbekenergo to implement projects for US$8.9bn by 2020. 2
PRESIDENCY of the republic of Uzbekistan in the SCO in 2015-2016. 3
Participation of Uzbek Delegation in the SCO CHG.. 3
2015 year – The Year of Care for the Senior Generation.. 3
The Year Ends, but Attention and Care Remain. 3
The Success of Young Boxers of Uzbekistan. 7
economy
More than 4 trillion soums worth of credit funds have been allocated in Uzbekistan over the past five years for the development of the service sector
The funds have allowed for implementation of 52,000 projects (currency rates of CB RU from 15.12.2015 1$= 2780.05 soums).
With the opportunity of getting big revenues at low cost in a short time, service sector ranks among the most profitable areas of business in Uzbekistan. The sector has been developing particularly actively in recent years. Three years ago, the share of the service sector in the GDP was about 50%, while it is expected to reach 55% in the end of 2015. The sector covers communication, banking and finance, transportation and construction services, tourism, trade, consumer services, and much more.
The development of services has been in progress in rural areas, so the living conditions of villagers have become much closer to the urban. Nearly 23,000 related projects have been launched and implemented in rural areas in the last three years alone. In turn, this has promoted the development of service infrastructure in rural areas of individual standard design housing.
Experts see service sector as the most affordable type of business in Uzbekistan. It may be started from scratch with minimal cost, and only requires a will to work. The businessmen have an opportunity to get a soft loan at very favorable terms.
Moreover, it is also an effective tool for job creation and employment. Today, the service industry engages more than 80,000 small businesses. Their share in the total number of enterprises has been growing every year and has already exceeded 80%, which implies hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country with the focus on rural areas.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
ENERGETICS
Uzbekenergo to implement projects for US$8.9bn by 2020
Uzbekenergo (Uzbek Energy) is planning to implement 33 investment projects with total cost of US$8.9 billion by 2020.
The projects will be implemented within the programme of measures on ensuring structural reforms, modernization and diversification of production for 2015-2019.
The projects are aimed at reducing emissions through introduction of modern, high-performance technologies into production, as well as increasing the share of renewables in the energy balance of Uzbekistan.
Uzbekenergo is implementing projects for modernization and reconstruction of existing power plants, construction of power networks and substations, increases capacities of energy facilities.
As a result of the introduction of modern technological facilities at Navoi and Syrdarya thermal power plants, as well as the Tashkent thermal power station, installed capacity of the power system increased by 555 MW and helped to save 455 million cubic meters natural gas a year.
Construction of combined cycle power plants is underway at Talimarjan, Tashkent, Takhiatash and Navoi thermal power stations with total capacity of 1970 MW. The projects will help to save 360 million cubic meters of gas a year at each plant.
Uzbekenergo is constructing photoelectric solar stations at Samarkand, Namangan and Surkhandarya regions.
The company is also plans to modernize and reconstruct 15 existing hydro power stations by 2020, which will increase their total capacity by 200 megawatt and save 250 million cubic meters of gas, as well as allow to produce additional 600 million KWH of electricity.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
PRESIDENCY of the republic of Uzbekistan in the SCO in 2015-2016
Participation of Uzbek Delegation in the SCO CHG
The delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan headed by the First Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister Rustam Azimov is participating in the 14th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is being held on December 14-15 in Zhengzhou (China).
The Heads of the Governments of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are discussing the implementation of the Program of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation of the SCO Member States, other issues of further development of cooperation within the organization.
The representatives of the SCO Observer States – Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan, as well as the heads of the Secretariat, the Executive Committee of the RATS, Business Council and Interbank Association of the SCO, a number of international and regional organizations and forums – UNESCAP, CIS, ASEAN and CICA are attending the event.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
2015 year – The Year of Care for the Senior Generation
The Year Ends, but Attention and Care Remain
2015 is coming to an end. It has been a year of peace and tranquility, wellbeing and prosperity. For the elderly, it was a year of enhanced care, and the life has generally filled with joy and happiness.
The name of each year in Uzbekistan is entailed with topical problems and noble missions, which are caused by the realities of the time and are consonant with the aspirations of the society. This strategy has been uniting people, consolidating the atmosphere of kindness and mercy, traditions of respect for the elders, care for the young, respect for women, and consolidation of families.
Given the age-old values of the Uzbek people, the year 2015 was declared the Year of Attention and Care for the Senior Generation in order to lavish all-round support and respect on the people of venerable age.
Everyone knows that home is filled with special comfort and prosperity, if it is inhabited by older people, and they are treated with respect. We should keep in mind that the inestimable merit of the country’s achievements in various fields goes to our parents, grandparents, respected veterans. We are indebted to them and are obliged to do our utmost to ensure their wellbeing and long life.
A manifestation of respect towards them has been an integral part of spiritual life in Uzbekistan. Over 2.2 trillion soums (currency rates of CB RU from 15.12.2015 1$= 2780.05 soums) and more than $225 million have been invested in the implementation of the national program the Year of Attention and Care for the Senior Generation from all sources, which clearly demonstrates the scale and profundity of work in this direction.
The concern for the elderly and people with disabilities in need of social support was reflected in the Constitution of Uzbekistan and fifty related legislative acts. This noble work has been brought to a new level this year. The government has developed new regulatory acts on social care for the elderly, people with disabilities and other categories of the population. They envisage precise definitions of mechanisms for providing social services for the elderly, people with disabilities, and other categories of citizens, legal, institutional and economic foundations in this field, types and forms of services, rights and responsibilities of governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and citizens’ self-government bodies.
There are more than 2.8 million people above 60, 225,000 people above 80, 44,000 above 90 in Uzbekistan, and 8,700 people have stepped over a 100-year milestone. 3,100 of them are participants of the World War Two, and 70,000 veterans of the labor front.
The Uzbek people have broadly celebrated the 70th anniversary of defeating fascism in World War Two together with progressive mankind. Selfless people were honored in communities, towns and villages throughout the country for their invaluable contribution to this victory. Veterans of war and labor front were awarded the commemorative medal, which was instituted on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory, cash awards and valuable gifts. They were honored in various meetings and celebrations, which have become another manifestation of attention and care for veterans.
Nearly 3,000 war veterans received cash awards. The Nuroniy Foundation allocated 187 million soums for these purposes. Veterans of war and labor front were presented with domestically produced television sets and cell phones. They have been provided with privileges in paying utility bills, public, railway and air transportation.
SYSTEM-BASED HEALTH-IMPROVEMENT
Much has been done under the national program to improve the level and quality of medical services for elderly people, organize a system-based improvement of their health, and further strengthen the logistical capacity of specialized medical institutions.
Social rallies under the slogan ‘No one is deprived of care and attention’ have been organized in all regions of the country to improve specialized medical services to veterans, pensioners and people with disabilities. More than 215,000 have been covered with thorough medical examination, and assisted in the recovery.
Ministry of Health has paid special attention to old residents of remote settlements during medical examinations.
Veterans have been rehabilitated with the intensive application of high-tech diagnosis and treatment methods. 200 patients with diseases of large joints, 1,800 patients with cardiovascular diseases, and 1,500 patients with eye problems have been operated under the program in the leading national hospitals. Those suffering from urolithiasis, adenoma, prostate cancer, diabetes complications, and ENT diseases have been provided medical help too.
The examination has provided accurate information about morbidity among the representatives of the older generation. Guided by the information, the Ministry of Health has implemented a range of measures to introduce modern high-tech methods of diagnosis and treatment in regional clinics. Thus, the venerable residents were able to be treated at the place of residence.
120 master classes have been held at clinics under medical universities, national medical centers and research institutions with the involvement of hundreds of regional experts. The meetings have helped to launch the introduction of adopted technologies in workplaces.
Regional diversified medical centers provided treatment to 18,000 elderly, conducted 400 demonstrations of complicated operations, and introduced more than 70 new methods of diagnosis and treatment in the practice of regional medical institutions.
Meanwhile, as noted by specialists of the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan, regional clinics have a great capacity for the further introduction of modern methods of diagnosis and treatment. In the coming years, this work will be continued and combined with supplying these institutions with new equipment.
TARGETED SOCIAL SUPPORT
The issues of targeted services for veterans have been addressed throughout the year. To date, nearly 17,000 lonely elderly, pensioners and people with disabilities have been registered at employment promotion and social protection centers. All of them have been provided with a total of 3.4 billion soums of financial aid by charity organizations.
More than 16,000 people are serviced at home by the workers of units of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. Another 1,700 people are covered by the patronage of the Soghlom Avlod Uchun Foundation. Approximately 7,000 people in need of permanent home care live in special boarding homes Sahovat and Muruvvat. 4,300 low-income lonely receive additional support from the government in the form of a monthly food set.
All the single pensioners and people with disabilities have undergone medical examinations, and 11,500 of them were subject to treatment. 4,100 people received outpatient treatment, 1,900 in-patient treatment, 5,400 people were treated at home. More than 11,000 people have been provided with free sets of drugs.
Single elderly have improved health in the country’s best resorts under specialized programs. Since the beginning of 2015, over 1,000 single elderly people had a rest in health resorts of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.
Needy people with disabilities have been supplied with 2,040 free wheelchairs, 827 hearing aids, 959 crutches, and 1,603 walking sticks. 124 rental stations ensure the better provision of population with technical means of rehabilitation in all regions of the country. Almost 2,000 citizens have used their services since the beginning of the year.
It has been a good tradition to assist the lonely pensioners with improving their living conditions. There are ongoing regional programs on improvement of living conditions of veterans, lonely and the elderly in need of social support for 2015-2017. To date, the houses of over 8,000 lonely and needy citizens have been repaired.
TRADE UNIONS SUPPORT VETERANS
Trade union organizations have channeled nearly 73 billion soums to the implementation of projects under the major social program.
2,950 lonely and vulnerable elderly have been awarded electrical appliances totaling 1.5 billion soums as part of the strategy on improving the quality of life and wellbeing of the older generation.
The Federation of Trade Unions has also held a campaign ‘Trade Unions for Veterans’, and provided targeted financial assistance to each participant of the World War Two on the threshold of May 9, the Memory and Honors Day.
Over 43,000 lonely elderly, pensioners and people with disabilities have been provided with food, medical supplies. Veterans of war and labor front were assisted in the repair of houses and had their utilities paid. Nearly 7,750 billion soums have been allocated for these purposes by trade unions in the social partnership with employers.
On the threshold of holidays the unionists visited representatives of the older generation, war and labor veterans, the elderly residents of Sahovat and Muruvvat mercy homes. They were offered cultural events, presented with gifts and charitable assistance in the amount of 105 million soums. Health resorts of the system of Trade Unions have carried out scaled construction, reconstruction and repair works.
1,722 veterans, who live near the resorts, could improve their health on an outpatient basis. 420 elderly people with disabilities from all regions of the republic were provided with wheelchairs, 210 representatives of the older generation were supplied with pulsometers, hearing aids and glucometers.
Over 87,000 elderly were provided with material assistance through collective agreements. 6,500 old people were invited to theaters, concerts, and other cultural events, and 4,400 people went on tourist trips to historical cities and sights of Uzbekistan.
Councils of veterans have been established under primary trade union organizations of enterprises and companies. They provided pensioners with the medicines and foods they need, repaired their houses. Trade teams organize spiritual and educational events, panel discussions, meetings with veterans of war and labor. Working pensioners have been involved in sports competitions in chess, checkers, table tennis and badminton.
ELDERLY LEISURE IN PRIORITY
The conditions for leisure of representatives of the older generation have been another priority this year. The number of old users of the Internet has been growing year by year. They were offered the first specialized resource Nuroniy.Net, which provides access to information, connects to chat partners of interest, as well as invites to listen to the elderly targeted radio.
Agency for Press and Information and its social partners have channeled more than 100 million soums in publishing books for the elderly, including poetry collections, books on historical, cultural and other topics.
Particular importance has been attached to the interests of old men and women with active lifestyles. The festivity venues and culture and leisure centers in local communities opened interest and communication clubs that demonstrate popular movies and offer classical music. Local communities offer permanent health groups for the elderly, people with disabilities and other categories of the population on the platform of gyms at nearby educational institutions, medical and physical culture rooms at family polyclinics, at festivity venues, consumer services and in other possible facilities.
There are many interesting initiatives on the arrangement of various events, like, for example, an annual competition ‘Keksalar Zavki’ (Fun for the Elderly) among people above 60. The program includes walking, chess, checkers, volleyball, football, table tennis. The winners will be traditionally awarded valuable gifts.
The program on reconstruction, overhaul and construction of parks and recreation areas has been corrected. From this year and on, each of the 225 parks of the country will have recreation centers for people of venerable age. They will offer newspapers and magazines, chess and checkers. The centers are a venue for holding lectures on healthy lifestyles, physical activity, prevention of various diseases, regular meetings with famous actors, writers, singers.
WITH THE HELP OF ICT
The national program the Year of Attention and Care for the Senior Generation has become a starting point for the development of new software that may significantly simplify the life of our grandparents.
Several projects have been carried out throughout the year to facilitate access to social services for seniors.
The staff of the call-center, which has been launched by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection this year, will help to navigate in a variety of social services, and consult on their application. One just needs to dial 200-06-00.
2015 has marked the launch of a two-year project on the introduction of information service of electronic inquiry for archival information during the procedure of retirement processing. The service will eliminate the need for manual search for documents on service record and salary during retirement processing.
Now, Uzbekistan runs a software system of electronic registration of veterans of war and labor front of 1941-1945, who undergo sanatorium rehabilitation. The staff of the Employment and Social Protection Promotion Center monitors all information on a computer screen, which greatly simplifies its management. The same effect has been provided by a specialized program of Protez which aims at supplying persons with disabilities with orthopedic tools and technical means of rehabilitation.
BEHIND THE MARK OF CENTENARY
To date, almost 9,000 citizens of Uzbekistan have crossed the centenary. There are just few years that separate dozens thousands of elders from celebrating the centenary. Most importantly, they are full of optimism, feel the taste of life, and are grateful for their country fellows for attention and care.
For example, a 105-year-old resident of Kulama village of Jizzakh district Khairi-ona Shokirova was awarded the Shukhrat Medal on the threshold of the 24th anniversary of independence.
During the World War Two, she worked behind enemy lines, overcame many difficulties, but has preserved the optimism and hope for the better future. Afterwards, she worked in the agriculture for many years. She brought up and educated eight children, and has about 200 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Sharing the secret of longevity, she emphasized that attention and care have been extending her life.
It takes 12 years for Muydinjon Sobirov of Olchin citizens’ assembly of the Baghdad district of Ferghana region to reach his centenary. Despite his advanced age, he brings up his grandchildren and great-grandchildren by his own example, just like other young people who often come to visit him, to maintain order in the house, and help with the infield.
All the houses, streets and playgrounds in the local community look like gardens. The experience and wise advice of elders have been contributing in raising awareness of young people about the need to keep yards and the neighborhood clean, and about environmental culture.
It is a routine situation for a local community when the elders manage landscaping activities. They seem to teach young people the lessons of nobility. There are more than 19,000 elderly above hundred years old in this district. They express their gratitude and wish long life to the country’s leader as the initiator of the noble acts.
… There is no need to say that attention to the elderly is not limited by the current year, and the important work will be continued. Rich in experience and such noble features, these people embody a worthy example for our children, for young people, and contribute to growing them in the spirit of humanism and kindness. They play an important role in creation of a healthy spiritual environment in a family, the atmosphere of mutual respect, kindness and love between family members, as well as between the neighbors, which is an important condition for peace, tranquility and well-being in our country.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
sport
The Success of Young Boxers of Uzbekistan
The young boxers of Uzbekistan won one gold, silver and two bronze medals at the International Box Tournament in Kazakhstan.
The competition was attended by boxers from almost ten countries. In the competition in weight category up to 64 kg, gold medal won by our compatriot Anvar Turopov. In the final he won Aziz Bebitov from Turkmenistan.
In their weight categories Muzaffar Rashidov took second place, Isroil Madrimov and Ikrom Saidov – third.
(Source: UzA)
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