UZBEKISTAN, August 24 - President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a meeting on the socio-economic development of Samarkand region and the main tasks to be completed by the end of the year.

In recent years, the region has been developing dynamically. However, growth rates differ from area to area.

So, almost half of the region’s industry falls on Samarkand. Over the past seven months, $600 million of foreign direct investment has been disbursed. But 78 percent of this amount fell on the city of Samarkand, Kattakurgan, Pastdargom, and Samarkand districts. Over the past five years, energy consumption has grown 1.5 times. Uneven yields and high-water consumption are observed in agriculture.

Based on the analysis of problematic issues, the President outlined the existing opportunities in entrepreneurship, investment, industry, and tourism.

The need to support entrepreneurship and household plots in mahallas, expand the cultivation of grapes and pistachios, and ensure employment of people in roadside services was noted.

This year, 170 billion UZS have been allocated to provide infrastructure for the territories of the Urgut Free Economic Zone in 15 districts and 106 industrial zones of the region. However, they do not use 620 hectares of land. Responsible persons were instructed to solve problems with infrastructure and attract entrepreneurs to these sites.

Tasks have been defined to upgrade the substations of Oqdaryo and Pastdargom and construct 2 photovoltaic stations with a capacity of 250 megawatts in Samarkand.

It was noted that there are opportunities to create 20,000 permanent jobs in the region’s tourism sector and increase exports to $500 million. To do this, it is necessary to introduce more attractive tours and improve the convenience of using roads and public transport. An instruction was given to organize new points of interest in 100 mahallas and villages attractive from the point of view of tourism based on the “tourist mortgage” program.

“Our people are waiting for the implementation of those enormous tasks that we have identified. If each hokim does not use the opportunities of his region, produce products, and create jobs for people, no one will come from outside and do it for them. The next four months should be months that will create a solid foundation for the next year”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

Hokims of the region and districts and responsible persons of industries reported on the issues discussed at the meeting.

Thereupon, the President of Uzbekistan completed his visit to Samarkand region and returned to Tashkent.

Source: UzA