Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - On 7 May, a video-conference on measures to increase the economic potential of the districts and cities of Andijan, Navoi and Surkhandarya regions was chaired by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Each region of our country is unique in its own way. Even areas within the same area differ in capabilities. Therefore, the issues of economic development of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the city of Tashkent and regions are discussed with the President objectively and separately.

The head of state, traveling to the field and communicating with the people, pays special attention to ensuring that the measures taken meet current needs and bring real results.

- I am very worried about whether our efforts, the decisions that are being made, bring real changes to the lives of ordinary people in the countryside, whether their income has increased, have they found a job, do their children go to school, do they have a house, clean water, are they good eat. These are the most important questions that leaders of all levels must answer before our people,” the President said.

It was criticized that the leaders in the center are guided by the general reports of the khokims in the decision-making process, and the need to solve each problem in a single district, village, makhalla, sphere and enterprise, reaching its very root, is emphasized. The task was set to begin the development of any program from each village, specifically indicating which direction in which village will develop, how much money should be allocated for this.

For example, 55 thousand families in Surkhandarya, 41 thousand in Andijan and 14 thousand in Navoi regions should be taken out of poverty. It is necessary to increase the well-being of the population by increasing the number of small enterprises, supporting handicrafts, and growing agricultural products.

The meeting noted that this requires more intensive work in the following three directions.

The first area is the development of industry, the deep processing of locally produced raw materials, the specialization of each district, village and mahalla.

In Andijan, Navoi and Surkhandarya regions, the main part of production is concentrated in one industry or is accounted for by state enterprises. In particular, mechanical engineering accounts for 69 percent of the industrial production in Andijan, and mining and metallurgy account for 72.5 percent in Navoi region. In addition, 78 percent of production in Andijan and 91 percent in Navoi are provided by enterprises of national importance.

The share of Surkhandarya industry in the country is only 1.5 percent, and its share in gross regional product is only 8 percent, which is one of the lowest rates in Uzbekistan.

The meeting noted that in these regions there are all opportunities for diversification of industries, and measures were identified in this direction.

In particular, it was instructed to provide the initiators in Khojaabad district of Andijan region with a place to organize 32 sewing and knitting enterprises. At these enterprises, 6.5 thousand jobs will be created.

The possibility of the production of building materials through the development of deposits in the mountains of Bulakbashi district, to bring the furniture production in the Ijtimoyat mahalla of the Altinkul district to the industrial level is indicated.

It was entrusted to create a small industrial zone on the basis of low-yielding areas near the automobile plant in Asaka district and to increase the production of components.

The reconstruction of the power network of the Suvlik Granit deposit in Nurata district of Navoi region can provide 450 people with jobs in the Istiklol mahalla. Tamdynsky district has reserves of phosphorites, glass, cement, decorative building stones and limestone. Deeper geological exploration in Uchkuduk region may reveal more resources.

In Sherabad district of Surkhandarya region there are a lot of carpet-makers. There are a lot of raw materials for the manufacture of carpets in Bandihan district - sheep and goat hair. Having established cooperation between these adjacent regions, it will be possible to process 85 tons of wool and leather per year.

Due to the poor power supply in Altynsay district, the possibilities for processing 80 thousand tons of grapes and 13 thousand tons of grain harvested here for a year are limited. There are also stocks of facing stone used in construction in the amount of 10 million tons.

The head of state pointed out many such opportunities and gave relevant instructions to the responsible persons. The Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction was instructed, together with the khokims of the regions, to create 10 new small industrial zones on 33 hectares of land and on the basis of unused buildings with an area of 5.3 thousand square meters in Andijan, Navoi and Surkhandarya.

The second direction is increasing local investment and tourism potential, developing infrastructure to improve service.

The meeting analyzed the situation in Andijan, Navoi and Surkhandarya regions in this direction. Thus, the share of the city of Khanabad in the services sector of Andijan region is only 1 percent. At the same time, the potential of health tourism is great due to the development of mineral waters and the production of healing water.

By repairing the roads leading to the Tudakul reservoir in Kyzyltepa district and the Sarmyshsay tract in Navbahor district of Navoi region, you can organize tourist areas and increase the number of guests by several times.

There are no markets in Altynsay district of Surkhandarya region. In addition, there are opportunities to create modern trade and service centers on the Manguzar-Termez-Denau highway, which passes through the district.

The meeting was tasked with calculating all such reserves in the service sector and involving entrepreneurs in their use.

The third area is increasing agricultural production and ensuring economic growth at the expense of this.

Residents of the Mirobod mahalla in Andijan district plant pepper and collect up to 2 thousand tons of crops per year. They also buy and process 3-4 thousand tons per year from other areas.

Thousands of families grow walnuts and peanuts in the Yukori Chuvama mahalla of Izbaskansky district. Allocating additional land to them can expand their processing capabilities and create more jobs.

Navoi region has pastures on 8 million hectares and has great potential for raising livestock, especially sheep and goats. To do this, it is necessary to build wells and create new livestock farms. As a result, more than 500 people will be employed. It is noted that these projects will create a Navoi livestock model.

The natural and climatic conditions of the Surkhandarya region differ from other regions, there is an opportunity to harvest two to three times, grow heat-loving plants.

For example, the demand for grenades in Sherabad district is high. However, pomegranate plantations occupy only 32 hectares here - 0.1 percent of the sown lands of the district. If pomegranate plantations are created on the site of low-yielding cotton and grain fields, you can earn 10 times more and export products worth US$30-40 million.

It was noted that 2 thousand hectares of degraded land in Muzrabat and 1.2 thousand hectares in Kumkurgan regions should be rehabilitated and distributed among the unemployed population, and the cultivation of early ripe crops should be increased. As a result, about 4 thousand new jobs will be created.

At the meeting, issues of planting crops between the rows of orchards and vineyards, ensuring price stability for crops, were again raised.

- The result will be only when each leader changes his style of work and develops practical projects, taking into account the capabilities and abilities of ordinary people. The economy will grow if changes occur in the village, in the mahalla, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

At the video conference, reports were presented by the khokims of Andijan, Navoi and Surkhandarya regions, industry leaders.