Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- At the 23rd plenary session of the Senate, information was heard from Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shukhrat Ganiev on the introduction of water-saving technologies in agriculture and the efficiency of the use of funds allocated for these purposes.

As noted in the information, as part of the implementation of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan from 10 July 2020 No. UP-6024, water-saving technologies were introduced in 2021 on a total area of 515.2 thousand hectares, including 197.5 thousand hectares of drip irrigation. As a result, the total area of lands of water-saving technologies reached 917.0 thousand hectares or 20% of the irrigated area.

In total, more than 1.1 trillion soums were allocated for the cultivation of raw cotton through the widespread introduction of water-saving technologies, the organization of a drip irrigation system, the creation of new vineyards and the construction of bored wells on 30.4 thousand hectares of intensive orchards to provide them with water and introduce drip irrigation technologies .

At the same time, during the discussion, the senators pointed out a number of problems in the use of funds allocated from the State budget for the cultivation of crops, the introduction of water-saving technologies, the organization of a drip irrigation system for the creation of new vineyards and the construction of bored wells, the efficient use of water resources and water-saving technologies.

In particular, there were cases of misuse of budgetary funds in connection with the provision of positive assessments by some regional working groups for the commissioning of introduced water-saving technologies and the allocation of subsidy funds to technologies that were in a faulty condition.

Despite the fact that water-saving technologies have been introduced in the cultivation of crops, there have been cases of land irrigation using the traditional method and irrational use of water.

In addition, due to the irresponsibility of the ministries of agriculture, water management, as well as territorial and district working groups, 848 water-saving technology projects were implemented that did not meet the technical requirements, and construction and installation work was performed poorly.

Irrigation systems have fallen into disrepair due to the fact that most of the contractors involved in water-saving technologies in the cultivation of crops do not fully take into account the various climatic, soil, hydrogeological and meliorative conditions of the regions, carry out construction and installation work under the projects of unified parameters.

To eliminate the shortcomings indicated by the senators, the need to strengthen the work carried out by the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agency for Regulation of the Alcohol and Tobacco Market and the Development of Winemaking, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regional and district khokimiyats on the application of modern irrigation technologies and ensuring the efficiency of allocated budget funds for these purposes, as well as increased responsibility.

A corresponding resolution of the Senate was adopted, aimed at further intensifying work on the introduction of water-saving technologies in agriculture and the development of funds allocated for these purposes, eliminating existing shortcomings.