Muloqot.gov.uz

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a video conference call on 13 December to discuss the results of work in the sphere of social protection and priority tasks for 2025.

Uzbekistan is a social state. On the basis of this constitutional principle, the system of social support and assistance is becoming closer to the population. Inson centres have been opened in all regions, and 102 types of social services have been introduced in the mahallas. Social workers, going door-to-door, have provided assistance to 95,000 more people in need who had not previously been included in the register. 51,000 people have been diagnosed with disabilities and 26,000 have received prosthetic limbs. Four thousand elderly people living alone were identified and home care was organised for them. 5,000 children with disabilities were placed in kindergartens and schools.

Thanks to such targeted work, the number of applications to people's offices and khokimiyats for social services and assistance has fallen by 35 per cent.

Three months ago, 14 thousand managers at the regional and district levels were assigned to 75 thousand low-income families for individual work. As a result, 17 thousand people from these families were employed on a permanent basis, the income of 14 thousand people increased due to entrepreneurship and personal subsidiary farms. 30 thousand children are covered by kindergartens, clubs and vocational training, 45 thousand people in need have been provided with medical assistance.

However, in some places the work is not organised efficiently enough. For example, 184 managers have never visited the homes of low-income families assigned to them. The employment rate for people with disabilities has reached 20 per cent on average, but in Jalakuduk, Chimbay, Pastdargom, Chartak and Denau districts the rate is much lower. Of the 598 social facilities included in next year's investment programme, not a single one has been adapted for people with disabilities.

The meeting reviewed the shortcomings and discussed further measures. The President presented new initiatives to strengthen the social protection system.

It was emphasised that education, vocational training, medical care and improvement of living conditions must be addressed in order to lift 1.2 million people out of poverty next year.

There are successful examples. For example, early development centres have been opened in Taylak and Kasansay districts, where 4.2 thousand children from low-income families and children with disabilities received preschool education. The regional khokims have been instructed to study this experience and implement it in each district.

In addition, family kindergartens will begin operating next year in 1,000 high-poverty mahallas. From the new year, 15 per cent of places in such kindergartens will be provided for children from low-income families, and part of the fee will be subsidised by the state.

Additional educational opportunities will be created for children from low-income families. 118,000 young people will be trained in foreign languages, IT and professional skills. Up to 80 per cent of parents' expenses for these circles will be subsidised from the budget. In 2025, 3.5 thousand of these children will enter universities on a grant basis.

Twenty-three thousand people in low-income families who cannot move independently are cared for by parents, spouses or children. From January 2025, home care will be organised for 19 thousand of them and day care for 4 thousand. This will allow 15,000 people who were previously caregivers to engage in employment. The State will reimburse 80 per cent of the costs to the private sector providing care. This initiative will first be implemented in Tashkent and by the end of the year in all provinces.

460,000 people from low-income families need medical care, and 6,000 families need better housing. Next year, an additional 185 billion soums will be allocated to the medical insurance fund to pay for surgical operations for those in need. Funds from the "social notebooks" will be used exclusively to improve the living conditions of low-income families and increase their incomes.

Currently, citizens have to submit more than 10 different documents to receive social services and assistance. Now all of them will be replaced by a single social card. The card will be used to use public transport free of charge, receive compensation for electricity, gas and tuition fees. Allowances and social assistance will also be received on this card. The system will be tested in Tashkent and Yangiyul District until 1 July and then introduced everywhere.

Support for people with disabilities was also discussed at the meeting. The level of rehabilitation in 33 districts was extremely low. It was instructed to organise rehabilitation services in every regional and district hospital. Financing of ergotherapy, physiotherapy and therapeutic gymnastics services in 12 rehabilitation centres will be increased 5 times. Chairs of rehabilitation will be opened in 7 medical universities, and teachers will be retrained on the basis of Korean experience.

Some disabilities can be treated with exercises performed at home. An exercise programme and healthy eating menus will be developed for such patients. The effectiveness of rehabilitation will be measured by changes in the mobility and communication of patients, and doctors will be paid salary increments on this basis.

At present, the list of prosthetics and rehabilitation aids has been increased from 18 to 30 items, and their financing has increased 1.5 times. Next year it is planned to add 7 more types of means to the list, meeting the needs of 80 thousand people.

Thanks to the created opportunities, this year entrepreneurs employed 40 thousand people with disabilities. From January, the social tax rate for such enterprises will be 1 per cent. Businesses will also receive subsidies of up to 50 million soums for sign language interpreters, psychologists and attendants for visually impaired employees. Private employment agencies that train and employ people with disabilities will be able to receive grants of up to 500 million soums.

During the meeting, other issues related to the implementation of the planned measures were discussed and proposals of social sphere specialists were listened to.