– How did you start your work after being appointed an assistant to the khokim? What results have been achieved over the past period?
– I was appointed to this position in January 2022. After I started my new assignment, the first thing I did was start working with the mahalla's population inventory. During the inventory, all households in the settlement, the number of unemployed, low-income families and those citizens who wanted to engage in entrepreneurship were studied and divided into categories. Ways of stimulating the unemployed population to find employment were studied. Cooperation has been established with Mono-centers in order to teach professions in demand in the region to citizens included in the "Youth Notebook". At the same time, special attention was paid to the employment of the population.
Today, the population of our mahalla is about 8000 people. As of January 2022, 540 of them were unemployed, including young people who graduated from universities. We studied the problems of every unemployed citizen in need of social assistance, after which they were provided with jobs in enterprises and organizations.
In our activities, we pay special attention to reducing youth unemployment, which is considered one of the pain points in our country. Subsidies and preferential loans were provided to achieve this goal. In 2022, subsidies and loans were provided to 12 subjects, in 2023 — 7, in 2024 — 6, which were mainly intended to provide sewing machines to residents who stay at home and can hardly leave the house. However, we tried not to use this form of social assistance too often. Because, in my opinion, the allocation of subsidies to young people in a sense prevents them from working on themselves.
– What is the main driver of economic growth in your mahalla? Why were these areas chosen, and what is being done to develop them?
– "Mash'al" mahalla is located in the city center, and therefore the main economic driver of the mahalla is the service sector.
In our mahalla, as well as everywhere else, citizens working informally were found. Explanatory work was carried out with them, they were told that the length of service would be taken into account in case of payment of social taxes. Thus, illegal business entities were legalized.
Now I can say with confidence that our mahalla has become a zone devoid of unemployment. If at the beginning of 2022 there were 176 business entities, then by October 2024 292 new business entities had been created. At the same time, 28 business entities, whose activities had previously been stopped, were granted benefits, after which their work resumed.
In addition, new drivers of economic development were involved. For example, a cooperative for the organization of micro-greenhouses has been established in the basements of multi-storey buildings. Women included in the "Youth Notebook" and the "Women's Notebook" were mainly involved in this work based on home-based work.
In mirco-greenhouses, seeds are sown in disposable containers, the work is not heavy. Experts from the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Namangan region came to study this process. Based on our experience, we organized cooperation for them, shared knowledge and skills to continue their activities.
– Tell us more about your mahalla. What are the current problems and how are they solved?
– There was no separate mahalla office building on our territory until 2022. The mahalla activists worked in a rented building. The new building for the mahalla was built on the basis of a public-private partnership. The first floor is reserved for the activities of entrepreneurs, and the second floor is reserved for the activities of the mahalla citizens' assembly. The material and technical base was formed at the expense of entrepreneurs and sponsors. It would not be an exaggeration to say that our mahalla has become a very beautiful place, an exemplary mahalla. Our site is fully landscaped. The "Seven" in mahallas were organized. Under the leadership of our chairman, eco-gardens were set up around residential buildings.
A number of works were carried out in other directions. Unfortunately, the territory of the mahalla was once called the "red zone" because of the high crime rate. Since the mahalla is located in the very center of the city, there are many entertainment venues, including discos and bars, as a result, there have been many cases of offenses.
To eliminate this situation, based on the Chinese experience, work was carried out on the installation of "smart cameras", which are installed in 25 locations. These cameras can detect unauthorized citizens entering and leaving the mahalla. The territory of the mahalla is fully controlled and under surveillance. Due to this, cases of offenses have decreased dramatically.
There are 130 multi-storey buildings in the mahalla. The first floor of all the houses is reserved for business entities. 4 kilometers of streets and roads were paved. New elevators were installed in several multi-storey buildings, and 4 preschool educational institutions on the territory of the mahalla were renovated.
– What kind of work is being done in the mahalla to support citizens working abroad and encourage them to return to their homeland? Give examples.
– The "Seven" in mahallas, headed by the chairman, dealt with citizens who had left or wanted to go abroad. We asked about the lives of each migrant and communicated with them online. 70-80% of 86 citizens who left abroad have been covered, measures for their return have been considered, and working groups have been organized. We have returned 42 citizens out of 86 and provided them with employment. Of these, we employed 16 people at the enterprises of our region, 6 women at the Global Textile enterprise on the basis of cooperation and in the workshops of the Beshbol region in the field of home-based work. Now they receive the income they earned while working abroad here, without leaving their relatives.
A logistics center has also been established on the territory of the mahalla, cooperating with US shipping companies. 40 new jobs have been created here. In particular, 4 migrants have been employed in this area. Our young people, who have mastered a new profession, earn up to 6 million sums per month here.
To date, there are only students abroad and 12 employees whose salaries are much higher there. At the moment, we are in direct contact with them. People began to believe that with a little effort they could work in their own country and be close to their families, as well as earn the income they were trying to earn abroad.
– What work has been done over the past period to lift the population of the mahalla out of poverty? What else needs to be done to improve the efficiency of work in this area?
– Systematic work is underway to support the segments of the population in need of social assistance. At the same time, they are provided with subsidies and preferential loans to start a business. The 5 subsidies allocated in 2024 were aimed at creating business entities and a sewing studio in the basements of multi-storey buildings. Subsidies were allocated to 6 citizens included in the "Youth Notebook". Yes, a subsidy is a good benefit. But I think it would be more effective to focus on entrepreneurs who create jobs. Based on this, it is necessary to increase the number of efficiently operating business entities.
Currently, the issue of poverty criteria is also very relevant. Based on my experience, I can say that the list of those in need includes citizens who are not actually poor. Based on the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 44 of 2013, the Regulation "On the procedure for the appointment and payment of social benefits and financial assistance to low-income families", a commission was established, and according to paragraph 6, special attention was paid to studying the living conditions of the population. This resolution has now become invalid. However, recently there has been an opinion that the population should be classified as poor, regardless of lifestyle, if it meets criterion No. 328 of this provision and is entered into the Social Register based on this criterion.
As a result of the studies of social workers, the Social Register and the List of Poor Families compiled based on the surveys of social workers do not match. It would be good if some changes were made to this criterion. According to the abovementioned decree, which has become invalid, it would be advisable that after submitting a citizen's online application for benefits, his living conditions and income should be studied, which should be considered if he meets the criteria. Otherwise, families who are not actually poor may fall into the poor category.
– Based on your practical experience as an assistant to the khokim, what suggestions can you give for further improving the activities of the khokim's assistants in Uzbekistan and improving their work efficiency?
– The assistant to the khokim is the most important link in the mahalla. The Chairman's duties mainly consist of dealing with external issues. The activities of other employees are also closely related to the assistant to the khokim. It is necessary to be in constant contact and dialogue with the population, women and youth included in the Social Register. All employees dealing with these issues should work together and in agreement. Social agency workers should work more inside the mahalla. The task of the assistant to the khokim is to unite them and conduct business correctly.
Jamoliddin Turdimov, CERR
"Economic Review" Journal №11/2024
leave a comment