Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A new UNDP/Ministry of Economy and Finance project on integrated rural development of Uzbekistan envisages construction and renovation of social infrastructure facilities of 157 makhallas in 21 districts of Samarkand, Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya regions. The project is worth US$293.5 million.
On 28 March 2024, a Presidential Decree was adopted to launch the second phase of the "Integrated Rural Development" project aimed at socio-economic improvement of life in remote areas of our country.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance and the United Nations Development Programme with the financial support of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), to accomplish the set tasks, are launching the Integrated Rural Development Project Phase II, which would cover 157 makhallas in 21 districts of Samarkand, Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya regions in 2024-2028.
The new project is aimed at improving the living standards of rural residents by improving road and transport infrastructure, engineering and communication networks, power supply systems, and application of resource-saving and environmentally friendly technologies in construction and renovation of social facilities such as kindergartens, secondary schools and rural clinics.
It is also planned to empower and strengthen the capacity of the local community of architects, engineers, local authorities and other stakeholders in designing and implementing community development plans using suitable green and energy efficient as well as digital solutions.
The project is expected to empower communities to identify their development priorities, needs, through community development planning which will serve as the basis for the implementation of construction and investment projects.
As a result of the project, it is planned to improve living conditions of more than 622 thousand people from rural areas.
For reference, the first phase of the project, operating since 2022 to this day, has the same objectives and covers construction and renovation of facilities of remote areas aimed to improve the quality of life of the rural population in 170 makhallas of 20 target districts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Khorezm, Bukhara and Navoi regions, and the professional skills of the population. At the moment, with the active participation of the local population, 900 subprojects have been selected for further construction or renovation during 2024-2025.