Assistants to the hokims are among people ("Dustlik" mahalla)

Bugun, 08:43
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Interview with Bakhtiyor Akhmedov, Assistant to the Hokim of Bekabad District of Tashkent Region in the “Dustlik” Mahalla.

— Please briefly tell us about your professional career and how you came to this position. What did you do before? What skills help you effectively perform the tasks assigned to you?

— I graduated from Perm National Research Polytechnic University in the Russian Federation with a degree in “Economics and Management of Enterprises in the Oil and Gas Sector.” I began my career as an economist in the Department of Preschool Education of our district. I also worked as a chief specialist responsible for identifying growth drivers within the mahalla and developing entrepreneurship in the Department for Mahallabay Work and Entrepreneurship Development of Bekabad District. Since 2023, I have been serving as Assistant to the Hokim for the development of entrepreneurship, employment promotion, and poverty reduction in the Dustlik Mahalla Citizens’ Assembly. The experience gained in my previous positions has greatly helped me in my current role as assistant hokim.

— Please describe in detail the location of the mahalla, its existing infrastructure facilities, and employment opportunities for the population.

— In the Dustlik Mahalla, 7.8 km of internal roads have been built. The mahalla also has one general education school, nine preschool institutions, and a family medical center. There are no large industrial enterprises in the mahalla. The total population of the area is 4,619 people, of whom 2,255 are women. The mahalla has 921 households and 1,334 families.

— What was the most difficult challenge at the beginning of your work?

— The most difficult part was gaining people’s trust and finding the right solutions to their problems. To achieve this, I maintained constant dialogue with residents, visited households in person, and carefully studied every appeal. By addressing issues together with relevant agencies, we began to achieve results, and people’s trust gradually increased.

— What new economic opportunities did you identify as a result of the household surveys? Which main drivers were selected for the economic development of the mahalla? Why were these particular areas chosen? What is being done to accelerate the development of these sectors?

— As a result of the household-level (“khonadonbay”) studies, it was established that many families in the area have unused land plots, while residents possess professional skills and a strong willingness to work. Based on this, additional income sources were identified in areas such as greenhouse farming, poultry farming, garment production, services, and small-scale trade, and activities in these directions were launched within the framework of relevant programs.

The main driver of economic growth in our mahalla is agriculture and livestock breeding. In addition, small-scale home-based production is considered a promising area. The mahalla has a large working-age population, many of whom either do not have permanent employment or work in the informal sector.

Therefore, additional focus areas such as poultry farming, greenhouse farming, garment production, services, and trade were selected. These sectors do not require large investments, generate relatively quick returns, and can be implemented at the household level.

To accelerate development in these areas, residents were provided with concessional loans and subsidies, professional training programs were organized, cooperation with experienced entrepreneurs was established, and assistance was provided in accessing markets for selling produced goods and agricultural products.

— How is entrepreneurship developing in the mahalla? What measures are you taking in this direction?

— As a result of household surveys in the mahalla, 20 families interested in entrepreneurship were identified and offered opportunities to start businesses under relevant programs. During this period, three new small enterprises were established, 22 citizens were registered as individual entrepreneurs, and thanks to their activities, 50 residents obtained a stable source of income.

In addition, entrepreneurs received practical support in obtaining concessional loans and subsidies, vocational training courses were organized, and assistance was provided in accessing markets and electronic trading platforms to sell goods and services. These measures significantly increased entrepreneurial activity in the mahalla.

— In your opinion, what are the main causes and factors contributing to poverty in your mahalla?

— Based on my experience, the main causes of poverty in this mahalla are the lack of stable employment opportunities, a large number of people without professional skills, and insufficient start-up capital and entrepreneurial knowledge. In addition, low motivation to work in some families also plays a role.

— Which approaches have proven most effective in reducing unemployment in the mahalla?

— The most effective approaches include assessing the potential of residents through the “khonadonbay” household survey, organizing qualified vocational training courses, and encouraging the population to engage in small-scale entrepreneurship. Opportunities for selling goods and services were also created through cooperative mechanisms and other collaboration platforms within the mahalla. These measures have had a clear impact in helping citizens achieve self-sufficiency.

— Have there been cases in your practice where support for vulnerable families significantly changed their lives?

— Yes, certainly. I can give an example. In one low-income family in our mahalla, a young woman had a passion for sewing. We enrolled her in vocational training courses and helped her obtain a concessional loan. As a result, she started sewing at home and now provides employment for two other women while earning a stable income. Today her family has become self-sufficient.

— Speaking about last year’s challenges, what specific tasks were addressed in the mahalla within the framework of the mahallabay system — in employment, social support, infrastructure, or work with households? Which results do you consider the most indicative of the effectiveness of this model?

— Last year, the main objective was to establish an effective chain of actions — from identifying problems to achieving sustainable solutions. In this regard, our mahalla achieved a number of concrete and tangible results. In particular, in the area of employment, a comprehensive registration of unemployed citizens was conducted, and measures were taken to provide jobs, vocational training, or opportunities for self-employment depending on their skills and potential. In addition, permanent income sources were created for several families through effective use of household land plots, handicrafts, and service provision.

In the field of social support, low-income families, persons with disabilities, single elderly residents, and families belonging to social risk groups were identified and provided with targeted benefits, financial assistance, and social services. Through the Social Protection Register, transparency in the allocation of assistance was ensured. The problems of each household were studied individually, a personalized “road map” was developed, and constant monitoring of implementation was carried out — with issues not considered resolved until the final result was achieved.