Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 5 October 2022, at the thirty-third plenary session of the Senate, the Law "On amendments and additions to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On state pension provision of citizens" aimed at improving the procedure for assigning pensions" was discussed.

It was noted that consistent reforms are being carried out in our country aimed at further strengthening the social protection of the population, especially persons with disabilities, ensuring their rights and freedoms, material support and improving their standard of living and well-being, based on the principles of social justice.

Currently, in Uzbekistan, 782 thousand or 2.4% of the population are recipients of pensions and benefits as persons with disabilities (of which 376 thousand are persons with disabilities of groups I and II).

The main purpose of this Law is to increase the income of persons with disabilities and worthy of their work, based on the principle of social justice, to prevent various approaches that arise in the application of legislation on pensions for citizens in practice.

In accordance with the current legislation, working time after the assignment of a disability pension of groups I and II is counted in the length of service when awarding an old-age or survivor’s pension. In this case, if a citizen receiving a disability pension continues to receive a disability pension upon reaching retirement age or on the occasion of the loss of a breadwinner (if he does not switch to another type of pension), the time of work after the assignment of a disability pension of groups I and II is not included and the pension for disability is not recalculated.

According to the Law, from 1 January 2023, the pension will be recalculated once every two years, taking into account the length of service and the amount of earnings after the assignment of a disability pension of groups I and II, if there is 1 year of work experience, and added to the amount of the pension.

If the Law is adopted, in 2023, an average of 300,000 soums will be added to the pensions of 75,000 persons with disabilities (having work experience from 1994 to 2022) and in the future (based on work experience and monthly wages) pensions for those who work activities will be recalculated every 2 years (today 43 thousand people are officially employed).

In accordance with the Law, the procedure for determining the period of raising a child by a stepfather and stepmother who raised a stepson for at least 5 years until he turns 18, who is determined to receive a pension, and the procedure for paying bonuses to persons who have special merits to the Republic of Uzbekistan, from 100 to 150 percent of the base value of the calculation of the pension, is established by the Government.

The adoption of the Law contributes to the prevention of various approaches arising from its application in practice, the elimination of cases that cause corruption factors, and the increase in the income of persons with disabilities, based on the principle of social justice.

The law was approved by the senators.