February13, 2015
Uzbekistan increased production of construction materials by 10.7% in 2014. 4
POLICY
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed a decree on Personal structure of the Cabinet of Ministers
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov approved personal structure of the Cabinet of Ministers with his resolution from 11 February 2015.
The decree said that Shavkat Mirziyayev was appointed as Prime Minister with the resolutions of the Legislative Chamber and Senate of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan from 23 January 2015 on proposal of the President of Uzbekistan.
In line with the article 98 of the Constitution of Uzbekistan, Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan also joins the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan on his post.
Personal structure of the Cabinet of Ministers
| Mirziyoev Shavkat Miromonovich | – | Prime Minister of theRepublic of Uzbekistan | Head of Complex on agriculture and water resources, agricultural processing and consumer goods and overseas:
1. Ministry of Agriculture and Water Management 2. State Committee of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources |
| Azimov Rustam Sadikovich | – | First deputy Prime-Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan | Minister of Finance, Head of Complex on the issues of Macroeconomic development, the structural transformations, attraction of foreign investments and integrated development of regions and overseas:
1. Ministry of Economy 2. Ministry of Finance 3. Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade 4. Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare of Population 5. State Tax Committee 6. State Customs Committee 7. State Statistics Committee 8. State Committee of the Republic ofUzbekistan on Privatization, Demonopolization and Development of Competition 9. Ministry for development of information technologies and communication |
| Zakirov Batir Irkinovich | – | Deputy Prime-Minister of the Republic ofUzbekistan | Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Architecture and Construction, Head of Complex on the issues of Construction sector, Industry, Construction material, Housing and Municipal services and Transport and overseas:
1. Ministry of Emergency Situations 2. State Committee for Architecture and Construction |
| Ibragimov Gulomjon Inomovich | – | Deputy Prime – Minister of theRepublic of Uzbekistan | Head of Complex on the issues of Geology, Fuel and Energy, Chemical, Petrochemical and Metallurgical industries and overseas:
1. State Committee of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources |
| Rozukulov Ulugbek Ubaydullaevich | – | Deputy Prime-Minister of the Republic ofUzbekistan – Chairman “Uzavtosanoat” SC | Head of Complex on the issues of Development of Mechanical engineering, Electrical engineering and Aviation industry, Standardization of products |
| Ikramov Adkham Ilkhamovich | – | Deputy Prime-Minister of the Republic ofUzbekistan | Head of Complex on the issues of Cultural, Educational, Health and Social protection and overseas:
1. Ministry of Healthcare 2. Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education 3. Ministry of Public Education 4. Ministry of Culture Sport Affairs |
| Basitkhanova Elmira Irkinovna | – | Deputy Prime-Minister of the Republic ofUzbekistan – Chairman of the Women’s Committee ofUzbekistan |
| Ministries | ||
| Saidova Galina Karimovna | – | Minister of Economy of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Ganiev Elyor Majidovich | – | Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Abdukhakimov Aziz Abdukakharovich | – | Minister of Labor and Social Welfare of the Republic ofUzbekistan |
| Teshayev Shukhrat Jurakulovich | – | Minister of Agriculture and Water Management of theRepublic of Uzbekistan |
| Mirzohidov Hurshid Mirsabirovich | – | Minister of Development of Information Technologies and Communications of Uzbekistan |
| Berdiev Kabul Raimovich | – | Minister of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Akhmedbaev Adkham Akramovich | – | Minister of Interior Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Kamilov Abdulaziz Khafizovich | – | Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Ikramov Muzraf Mubarakhodjaevich | – | Minister of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Alimov Anvar Valievich | – | Minister of Public Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Vakhobov Alisher Vasikovich | – | Minister of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Inoyatov Ulugbek Ilyasovich | – | Minister of Public Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| On position | – | Minister of Culture and Sport Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Khudayberganov Tursinkhon Аydаrovich | – | Minister of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| State Committees | ||
| Pаrpiyеv Bоtir Rаhmаtоvich | – | Chairman of the State Tax Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Dusanov ZokhidAbdukayumovich | – | Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Customs |
| Turaev Botir Eshbaevich | – | Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Statistics |
| Khidoyatov Davron Abdulpattakhovich | – | Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Privatization, Demonopolization and Development of Competition |
| Arabov Saidqul Amirovich | – | Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Land Resources geodesy, cartography and state cadastre |
| Turаmurаtov Ilkhomboy Bekchаnovich | – | Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources |
(Source: UzA)
economy
Uzbekistan increased production of construction materials by 10.7% in 2014
Enterprises of construction materials industry of Uzbekistan produced goods for 4.554 trillion soums in 2014, which rose by 10.7% year-on-year (currency rates of CB RU from 13.02.2015 1$= 2448.16 soums).
According to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, share of the industry in industrial production of Uzbekistan made up 6.1% in 2014.
Enterprises increased production of marble, travertine, alabaster and products from them by 2.2 times, bricks and blocks for construction from cement, concrete and artificial stone by 1.6 times, prefabricated elements and other products for buildings by 12.6%, ceramic tiles for paving and facing plates ceramic, glazed – 7.1%.
At the same time, the production of cement grew by 5.1% and cement clinker by 4.5% in 2014.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
transport
High-Speed Wheels
Uzbekistan is anticipating the launch of a new high-speed railway in the next two years. The Chief Engineer-Manager of Uzbekistan Railways Company, Sherzod Ismatullayev, has shared the sensational news with reporters at a press conference.
The high-speed communication has been a global trend in railway development. Today, the length of the high-speed rail (HSR) in the world exceeds 17,000 kilometers in 14 countries, using more than 300 types of rolling stock. Uzbekistan joined the list in 2011 with the launch of the first Central Asian trunk-railway on the route Tashkent-Samarkand.
Experts point out that in the current conditions HSR successfully compete with not just their slower counterparts, but also with airlines, offering comparable services for a better price. For instance, the way from Tashkent to Samarkand by Afrosiyob speed train takes about two and a half hours, much cheaper, though longer.
Speed, comfort and price are key factors of trunk-railways’ success, making them attractive for common passengers and tourists. Development of SCM is twice as important for Uzbekistan. In the country, where many industrial facilities, cities, deposits and transport hubs are located hundreds of kilometers away from each other, the highspeed railway communication would be a powerful impetus for regional economic development through enhancing the mobility of people and businesses. On the other hand, our country ranks among the world’s boosting centers of tourism. The Huffington Post, the US most influential online outlet, has included Uzbekistan in the list of 20 countries with the most promising tourist destinations in 2015.
Fast, comfortable and relatively inexpensive trains would obviously allow expanding the flow of tourists and replenishing the tourist maps with new pearls in the near future. The domestic railway experts have long outlined the scheme and are ready for the tourism boom to come. In September 2013, jointly with the German company Lernidee Erlebnisreise GmbH Uzbekistan launched a tourist train Orient Silk Road Express on the route Tashkent –Kamashi–Kitab–Bukhara–Urgench–Samarkand–Tashkent.
The same year, Uzbekistan entered the list of the countries offering their own brand of luxury class trains. Uzbekistan is accompanied by the worldfamous Orient Express, which runs through the main European capitals, or, let’s say, the South African ‘Pride of Africa’, one of the most luxurious trains that invites to enjoy the amenities of the hot continent. In a word, there are references to follow.
High-speed railways require huge financial costs and are extremely risky in terms of payback. Therefore, as a rule, the high-speed rail projects do not finish with the launch of the railway, but, on the contrary, they start with it, because the process of attracting customers implies the implementation of a range of measures on promoting services in the market, attracting customers, raising awareness of their benefits, and maintaining quality at the appropriate level. Uzbekistan has faced the challenge: last year alone, two Afrosiyob trains transported more than 180,000 passengers.
It is estimated that by 2020, the total length of the world high-speed steel railways will reach 40,000 kilometers, and a quarter of them will fall to China. Uzbekistan is not going to fall behind. The works on the electrification of the railway line on the Samarkand-Bukhara route have already started.
There are two approaches to the creation and subsequent operation of the infrastructure for such lines. For instance, Japan and Spain build separate lines that do not intersect with the old means of communication because of the different track widths, and in France the railway track does not differ from the previously existing lines. Uzbekistan has chosen the effective ways that are used in Germany and Italy, where the entire existing infrastructure is subject to the upgrade. In some two years the railway workers built the appropriate infrastructure for the operation of the most advanced locomotives, built and reconstructed the track and stations, the bilateral fence, and streamlined the contact network. Now, the high-speed trains run without disturbing regional and interstate passenger traffic.
The launch of the new line is scheduled for late 2016. The company intends to raise $400 million of investment for its construction. The project will provide 700 new jobs for the construction, and 200 jobs for the railway operation. The railway line is expected to reduce the time for passenger and cargo transportation by two hours, cut operating costs by 36%, and minimize harmful effects on the environment. Experts say that implementation of the project requires the application of the cutting edge technological solutions that have been approved and piloted by the leading countries. There is also the need to keep abreast of the time, and monitor the progress of work analyzing, anticipating and eliminating defects in advance.
Uzbekistan Railways is planning to buy two high-speed trains for Tashkent-Bukhara HSR. They will replenish the domestic fleet of similar equipment, which consists of two trains of the Spanish company Talgo. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Spanish side in 2009.
It envisaged the purchase of two Talgo-250 trains, consisting of four head and eighteen passenger cars totaling 38 million euro. It is still uncertain who will supply new locomotives, but the domestic railway executives are likely to choose a credible partner. Last year, the company also declared its intention to purchase a hybrid electric and diesel traction train. It would allow non-stop movement of trains during the construction works. The speed of the electrically propelled trains will reach 250 km / h, and diesel – 200 km / h.
In 2014, domestic railways transported 20 million passengers and 80 million tons of cargo with five percent increase YOY. Cargo turnover exceeded 22.9 billion tons / km. In the future, the railway market is expected to grow, and the needs of its customers – to expand, requiring more modern and efficient rolling stock. That might entail the localization of production of high-speed cars, especially since the country has created all the conditions needed. As the next step, the domestic railways wi ll likely establish the manufacture of advanced locomotives jointly with foreign companies.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
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