Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 1 February 2022, a meeting of the Senate Committee on the development of the Aral Sea region was held.

The meeting was attended by members of the Committee, senior officials of the Cabinet of Ministers, members of the Expert Council under the Committee, specialists from ministries and departments responsible for the issues under consideration, as well as representatives of the media.

The meeting preliminarily considered issues that are planned to be discussed within the agenda of the twenty-third plenary session of the Senate.

In particular, the senators previously discussed the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the introduction of amendments and additions to certain legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in connection with the strengthening of the protection of objects of material cultural heritage”.

It was noted that the document envisages the strengthening of liability measures for the destruction, destruction or damage of objects of material cultural heritage, the transfer to the category of grave crimes of acts that cause damage to such categories of objects on an especially large scale, and the assignment of preliminary investigation to the prosecutor’s office.

Also at the meeting, the report of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the implementation of the State Program for the implementation of the Action Strategy in five priority areas of development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 in the Year of Supporting Youth and Improving Public Health was discussed.

It was noted that within the framework of the implementation of the State Program, a number of measures were taken for the socio-economic development of the Aral Sea region and the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

In particular, in order to pilot the rehabilitation program aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing energy losses in multi-apartment buildings in the city of Nukus of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, within the framework of the event “Further improvement of the system for providing public services to the population”, provided for in paragraph 201 of the Program, an agreement was reached between the Ministry of Housing and Communal economy and the Energy Agency of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy of Germany on the implementation of a pilot project.

The initial cost of this project was estimated at 2.4 billion soums. At present, an agreement has been concluded with a design and survey organization and consulting meetings have been held to develop project documentation.

In addition, in accordance with paragraph 250 of the program on “Resolute continuation of practical actions aimed at mitigating the consequences of environmental tragedies caused by the Aral Sea disaster”, a “Green Belt” was created near the city of Nukus at a distance of 10 km. Within the framework of the funds of the Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea region, 3.5 thousand residents were provided with drinking water in 5 gatherings of citizens of Takhtakupir district.

At the same time, the perinatal centers of the city of Nukus, Beruni and Kungrat districts have been modernized with 42 types of modern equipment, which has ensured an increase in the volume of services provided from 8.5 thousand to 20 thousand people a year, and the state reserve "Sudochye- Akpetki" on 280.5 hectares.

In addition, at the meeting, senators and members of the expert group were informed about the results of studying the implementation in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Khorezm region of the resolutions of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan from 11 November 1020 No. PP-4889 “On measures for the integrated socio-economic development of the Republic of Karakalpakstan in 2020–2023 " and from 29 July 2021 No. PP-5202 "On measures to implement the special resolution of the United Nations General Assembly from 18 May 2021 "On declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovation and technology", as well as Decree from 23 November 2021 No. UP-25 "On additional measures for the accelerated development of entrepreneurship in the Aral Sea region."

An appropriate decision of the Committee was adopted on the considered issues.