“ON MEASURES FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL PROTECTION OF POPULATION”

The year 2007 is declared a “Year of Social Protection” in Uzbekistan.

Therefore, a Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures for further development and strengthening of social protection system of population”, adopted on March 19, 2007 is a logical continuation of the reforms aimed at social support and ensuring well-deserved living conditions for the vulnerable parts of population.

According to the Decree a wide range of measures are foreseen on strengthening social protection, increasing financial support to all social workers and providing material and technical assistance to invalid and retirement homes, the orphan houses, health centers for war and labour veterans, rehabilitation centers for invalids etc.

It is foreseen to allocate an additional 31.5 billion soums (Uzbek national currency) mainly from State budget annually for the implementation of these measures.

In particular budget allocations for low income families will be increased by 1.5 times. This will allow raising relevant State budget payments on the amount of 10 billion soums, thus enabling to provide monthly payments to more than 100,000 families with low income during one year. At the same time the period of providing allocated payments is increased from 3 to 6 months.

The volume of budget allocations for social needs will increase in 2007 to 55% of total budgetary expenses in Uzbekistan. In particular payments to low income families comprise 9% of the budget (460 billion soum), which is far more then in other CIS countries and many of developed states, where social expenses comprise about 2 to 5% of total budget. In general during 2007 it is planed to provide social assistance to more than 28% of the families in Uzbekistan.

Realization of the Decree of the President of Uzbekistan will ensure further strengthening of the social protection system and will be a basis for the increase of living standards for low income families and people in need of social assistance, thus allowing implementing measures foreseen under the “Year of Social Protection” in Uzbekistan.

DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

“On measures for further development and strengthening the system
of social protection of population”

According to the State Program “Year of Social Protection” and in an effort to further strengthen purposefulness and varied approach in implementation of measures on social protection of population, providing with necessary material support to not sufficiently provided families, development of mechanisms on stimulation and salary payment for workers of the system of social service, as well as strengthening material and technical basis of institutions of social protection of people:

1. Determine, that setting and payment of allowances to indigent families with children, allowances for mother who are not working on the basis of child care in the age of until 2 years old and welfare to not sufficiently provided families is implementing by the autonomous bodies on the basis:

steadily keep the principles of social equity, objectivity and publicity;

ensuring the purposefulness of the provided welfare, providing it to the really indigent families, not to allow dependency, comprehensive calculation of revenues and property status of families;

purposive and effective use of appropriate funds.

Council of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, municipalities of regions, cities and districts have to provide tight control over the observance of established rules of setting and payment of allowances and welfare.

2. To increase since September 1, 2007:

Volume of the budgetary appropriations allocated from the state budget on payment of allowances to indigent families in 1,5 times, with simultaneous increase in terms of its assignment and payment till 6 months;


Wages of tutors, educational-support personnel and nurses in children's boarding schools «Muruvvat» due to increase of rates on one category of the scale of charges, with simultaneous reduction of one tutor from 15-18 children up to 5-6 children;

The amount of fund of material stimulation of workers of boarding schools for children, aged and invalids «Muruvvat» and «Sahovat», specialized colleges for persons with the limited opportunities and features of physical development, sanatoria for veterans of war and work, the rehabilitation centers for invalids, social services at home up to 25 percent from fund of a payment.

3. To enter since July 1, 2007:

Extra charges at a rate of 15 percent to tariff rates for workers of sanatoria for veterans of war and work;

A free-of-charge feed for pupils-invalids in specialized colleges for persons with the limited opportunities and features of physical development;

monthly indemnification of fares to workers of services of social home aid service, and also the teachers training children-invalids at-home, in the sizes of 1 minimal salary in Republic Karakalpakstan and areas and 1.5 minimal salaries - in Tashkent.

4. To Council of Ministers of the Republic Karakalpakstan, khokimiats of regions and Tashkent, to the ministries, departments, associations, the companies, other bodies of an economic board, the enterprises and the organizations, welfare funds and enterprise structures to render through self-government institutions of citizens all-round additional material aid to requiring families.

To stipulate, that in 2007, which was proclaimed as "Year of social protection", finances transferring by managing subjects and enterprise structures to self-government institutions of citizens on the specified purposes, are fully released from taxation on profit.

5. Take into consideration that the State Programme “The Year of social protection”, adopted by the Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on January 23, 2007 No. 573, envisages capital repairs, equipping and procuring minibuses for 28 “Mehribonlik” houses, 86 extended care boarding schools and schools for children with physical and mental disabilities. For this purposes 8.2 bln. soums will be additionally allocated from state budget.

Approve proposals of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Uzbekistan concerning capital repairs, equipping and improving maintenance of boarding schools, residential care homes for elderly and disabled persons “Muruvvat” and “Sahovat”, sanatoria for war and labour veterans, rehabilitation centres for disabled. For this purposes 5.2 bln. soums will be additionally allocated from state budget.

6. Ministry of Justice together with Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, other interested ministries and agencies in 1 month to submit to the Cabinet of Ministries proposals concerning changes and additions to legislation arising from the given Decree.

7. Control over implementation of the given Decree to be imposed on Deputy Prime Minister Azimov R.S.

President of
the Republic of Uzbekistan

Tashkent,
March 19, 2007