20 February, 2012
Politics:
Address by President Islam Karimov at the Opening Ceremony of International Conference
Islam Karimov meets with ADB President
Meeting at the Oqsaroy
Uzbek Model of Education: Looking to the Future, Meeting Modern Requirements
Economics:
International Solar Energy Institute opened in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan produced over 3.84 million tons of coal in 2011
POLITICS
Address by President Islam Karimov at the Opening Ceremony of International Conference
Dear participants of the Conference!
Ladies and Gentlemen!
It gives me a great pleasure to welcome you, the contributors to this conference, and first of all our dear guests who represent the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, representatives of more than forty countries from different continents of the world, and express my deepest respect and sincere gratitude for your participation in this forum.
I would like to express my special appreciation to President of the Asian Development Bank Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda, who is one of the initiators of holding the current conference, for his outstanding contribution to promoting the efforts undertaken in Uzbekistan aimed at stabilizing the economic situation and securing sustainable development for our region.
I believe the participants of this event have paid attention to the fact that the principal topic of this forum, namely, the reform issues in educational system, is directly linked to tackling the problems of steady and sustainable, predominantly, economic development in a contemporary state.
It is no secret that this subject matter acquires a special urgency in these days, when practically an absolute majority of countries around the planet continues facing the impact of the world financial and economic crisis that broke out in 2008, still threatening with a new outburst of global recession.
Today there is no need to prove that the 21st century is commonly acknowledged to be the century of globalization and vanishing borders, the century of information and communication technologies and the Internet, the age of ever growing competition worldwide and in the global market.
In circumstances like these, only a nation can consider itself viable if it has among its vital priorities, all the time, the mounting investments and inputs into human capital, upbringing of an educated and intellectually advanced generation which in the modern world is the most important value and decisive power in achieving the goals of democratic development, modernization and renewal.
Dear participants of the forum!
It is a great honor for us that the model of reforming the educational system and experience of its implementation developed in Uzbekistan is being discussed with the participation of outstanding academics and experts, heads and representatives of world-renowned education institutions and eminent international organizations.
First of all, it is necessary to stress that the education reforms program adopted fifteen years ago and dubbed the National Program for Training of Specialists stands as an inseparable and integral part of our own “Uzbek model” of economic and political reforms based on gradual and evolutionary principle of building a new society in the country. The program, itself a product of an in-depth research and study, summary of the practice of advanced nations of the world, aims to completely eliminate stereotypes and dogmas of the communist ideology imposed in the past, consolidation of democratic values in the minds of people, first and foremost among the growing generation. Briefly speaking, the program is directed at nurturing a comprehensively advanced individual with independence in thinking and opinion, with their own choice and firm civic positions in life.
It was simply impossible to further that goal without radical reconstruction and transformation of the education system that had been developing for many years.
If we take into account that about 35 percent of Uzbekistan’s population is children under 16, more than 62 percent are the youths under 30, the role and significance of these reforms become clear and obvious.
In accordance with the adopted program, we have introduced a 12-year universal compulsory and free education in Uzbekistan on the scheme 9+3. The fundamental characteristic of the model being implemented in the country is as follows: following the nine years of study in a general school, the next three years the young people attend the specialized professional colleges and academic lyceums where every one of them, along with the general disciplines, obtains vocational training on 2-3 professions in demand in the labor market.
The law secures that the 12-year education in Uzbekistan is mandatory for all. Let me emphasize it time and again that this issue is of fundamental importance for us, especially for those living in remote rural areas where not everyone, frankly speaking, would like to pursue education 12 years in a row. We believe, and this is imperative as well, that the growing generation is obliged to receive a 12-year education, attain a concrete vocation and profession. This is particularly true for our girls. Significantly, a young family is robust only when the young women have a profession, they are independent, with their own world outlook and their own place in life. Thus, we try to make sure that following a nine-year general education, where general knowledge is taught in wide spectrum of disciplines, the youths mandatorily obtain a modern profession in two or three vocational areas.
After 12-year compulsory education everyone by his or her choice can continue study at higher educational institutions to obtain bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
During the past years we have accomplished an enormous work both on its scale and depth to radically renew and reform the sphere of education. We have built anew, overhauled and supplied with the latest teaching and laboratory equipment about 9.5 thousand or practically all functioning secondary schools in the country, implemented fundamental measures to qualitatively and methodologically renew the educational process.
The secondary education and study in the colleges are carried out in seven languages: Uzbek, Karakalpak, Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkmen and Tajik.
More than 1,500 new professional colleges and academic lyceums have been built. Many of you, the distinguished participants of the Conference, while on tour around professional colleges and academic lyceums could have been convinced of the fact that on their architectural design and technical facilities they are hardly inferior to any of the best higher education institutions. The modern teaching and laboratory equipment, computer and production facilities available in the colleges allow the students not only to get a full scope of knowledge on general subjects, but also master the cutting edge equipment and technologies.
In the system of education we attach a great importance to giving pupils not only a broad-scale knowledge and vocational skills, but also to compulsory learning foreign languages, as this is the most important condition for an active communication of our young people with their vis-a-vis from foreign countries and allows them to get an extensive knowledge of everything what is going on in the modern world and enjoy a huge world of intellectual treasure.
At present, all educational, scientific and cultural institutions of the country are connected to the Educational portal and the Internet. This allows introducing the methods of distance learning into educational process and a broad set of information and communication services for students.
The higher educational institutions play an important role in reforming the educational process and training the highly qualified personnel required in the labor market. During the last years their number has increased twofold and now there are more than 230 thousand students studying at 59 universities and other higher educational institutions.
In Uzbekistan we have set up the successfully functioning branches of the leading higher educational institutions of Europe and Asia with a high international reputation and deep historical roots such as Westminster University, Management and Development Institute of Singapore, the Turin Polytechnic University, Russian State University of Oil and Gas, Moscow State University and the Russian University of Economics. These higher educational institutions teach the bachelor’s and master’s such professions demanded in the labor market as machinery, oil and gas, information technologies, economics and business management, finance management, commercial law, and their graduates receive diplomas recognized throughout the world.
In 2012 the National University and the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan together with the leading British higher educational institution – the Cambridge University are establishing the educational and experimental High technologies center. Its main goal is to teach talented students, post-graduates and young scientists the modern methods of conducting the applied innovative scientific researches in the sphere of chemistry, physics, biology, biochemistry, biophysics, geology and geodesy. It is envisaged to equip the Center with high-tech facilities where the scientists and specialists of the Cambridge University will carry out training of our young scientists in the process of holding the particular research works.
It is necessary to note that it is this very direction that currently acquires a great importance, i.e. strengthening the scientific potential of higher educational institutions and integrating the educational process with innovative activity by transferring a number of academic scientific institutions to universities and creating new modern inter-institutional joint-use scientific and laboratory complexes.
The issues of broader involvement of young people in sports occupy a special place in implementing the National program for cadres training. The striking illustration of the aforesaid is creation of the Children’s Sports Development Foundation of Uzbekistan funded by the state budget, sponsorship and charity means.
During the last period about 1,500 up-to-date and generally accessible sports facilities for children have been built at the expense of this Foundation.
Today practically each secondary school, college and lyceum has both an open air sports ground and indoor sports halls and swimming pools with modern equipment.
We have established an integral three-stage system of annual sports competitions – each separately for schoolchildren, for students of professional colleges and academic lyceums, and the Student Games. This allows involving hundreds of thousands of our children, young men and women in mass physical, recreation and sports movement.
The issues of the quality of specialists’ training and to what extent they are demanded in the real economy remain in the focus of our attention.
In the framework of the Program we have accomplished a large-scale work to reorganize the system of training and raising the qualification of teachers and teaching faculty for colleges, lyceums and higher educational institutions of the country, and first of all, this refers to radical review and adoption of new standards, methodological and learning aids that meet the latest requirements. We have radically changed the criteria of assessment and stimulation of their work.
Thus, the wages of school teachers, teachers of professional colleges, lyceums and higher educational institutions during the last 10 years grew 1.5 times faster than the wages in the real sector of economy.
As a whole, the annual expenditures for development and reforming the education in Uzbekistan make up 10-12 percent of the GDP and their share in the expenditures side of the State budget exceeds 35 percent and this by itself serves as a particular confirmation of a huge attention being paid to this sphere.
The obvious evidence of a broad recognition of the role and significance of pedagogues’ work in terms of forming and upbringing a harmoniously advanced generation was adoption of the Law of 1996 according to which October 1 is annually marked in our country as a national holiday – the Teachers and Mentors Day.
I would like to specially emphasize the growing volume of foreign technical assistance being channeled to development of education and which made up more than 500 million dollars for over the past period. In the first instance, this was the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (nearly 290 million dollars), the Government of the Republic of Korea (more than 110 million dollars), the World Bank (33 million dollars), the OPEC Fund, the Saudi Fund, the Islamic Development Bank (42 million dollars), the Government of Germany through KfW Bank (nearly 20 million dollars) and other donors – more than 100 million dollars.
From this high rostrum it gives me a profound pleasure to bring the words of sincere gratitude to the international financial organizations and banks, all our foreign partners and governments for their invaluable support in resolving such an important task for us.
Dear participants of the Conference!
I believe that you will agree with me that today it is very hard to evaluate by certain measures and figures everything that we have accomplished to implement the Program of reforming education and training qualified personnel adopted in Uzbekistan.
Meanwhile, speaking about this, it is important to take into account that the Program being realized in our country is not a repetition or copying of someone’s model, but it is, above all, the generalization of the experience accumulated by the developed democratic countries and at the same time it considers the demands of the rapidly changing modern world.
It is also important to take into consideration that for over the span of many centuries the ancient land of Uzbekistan has remained as a seat of enlightenment and science, one of the centers of world civilization, and aspiration to knowledge has always been an alienable part of our nation’s mentality.
Such our great ancestors as Muhammad Al-Khorezmi, Abu Rayhon Beruni, Abu Ali Ibn Sino – Avicenna, Mirzo Ulughbek and many others are well-known all over the world for their outstanding discoveries in mathematics, astronomy, geodesy, mineralogy, pharmacology and medicine.
Embarking on the path of construction of a modern state with a developed market economy, ensuring the gradual transition from a strong state to a strong civil society, we have always realized that only those people, who comprehend the necessity of harmony of the national and universal human values, who possess modern knowledge, intellectual potential and advanced technologies, can achieve the set strategic goals of development.
It would barely be any exaggeration to assert that the radical reforming of the system of education has become the most important factor and fundamental basis of changing the minds and worldview of people, raising their political and civic activeness, as well as confidence in their future.
The new generation, the educated youth who are free of any vestiges of the past are today turning into a vital driving force of democratization, liberalization, renewal and confident growth of the country.
Suffice it to say that for over the past period more than 2 million 300 thousand students have graduated from the professional colleges and academic lyceums, and this year over 500 thousand students are going to graduate with vocational education diploma, and this stands as a powerful stimulus for not only modernization and diversification of the economy, but also qualitative renewal of the country’s human resources.
According to the assessments of prominent international financial institutions, Uzbekistan despite the ongoing global financial-economic crisis maintains steady high growth rates of the economy which during the last 5 years have made up not less than 8.5 percent, and the GDP has increased 2.1 times as compared with 2000. Uzbekistan provides the current account surplus, the low external debt and sufficient official reserves; the strong economic growth projected over the medium term.
It is important to note that these growth rates are provided primarily thanks to deepening structural changes and diversification of the economy, the accelerated development of new high-tech enterprises and industries, speeding up the processes of modernization and technical re-equipment of the operating enterprises and extensive attraction of foreign investments.
If during the past 10 years 80 billion dollars of capital investments have been directed to the economy of Uzbekistan, then over 23 billion dollars or nearly 30 percent of them were the foreign investments.
In 2012 the growth of foreign investments will make up 16 percent, meanwhile 70 percent of them are the direct foreign investments and this speaks by itself about the growing interest of foreign capital towards the reforms being carried out in our country, and crucially, about the confidence in the prospects of Uzbekistan’s development.
Summing up the aforesaid, we have all grounds to state that for over the historically short period of time – 15-20 years Uzbekistan has made a giant step along the path of achieving our main goal – to join the ranks of the developed democratic states in the world and create the decent living conditions and standards for the population of the country. And we can rightfully be proud of this.
Dear friends!
We well understand that the issues of reforming the educational system as the most important condition of steady and sustainable development of the economy, suggested for discussion at the current forum, in no way can cover all aspects of multifaceted and comprehensive problems in terms of establishing a harmoniously advanced individual, i.e. the task which has always concerned the best minds of humanity.
Second, each and every model of reforming the educational process in one country or another cannot claim universality.
Everything done and is still being done in Uzbekistan to implement the Education reforms program primarily meets the long-term interests, realities and peculiarities of a rather complex stage of our country’s current development.
Therefore, for us it is extremely important everything that will be said and suggested by the participants of the Conference at the plenary and group sessions taking into account a priceless experience generated in other countries.
Uzbekistan, I would like to stress it, is interested in further strengthening a comprehensive cooperation among our and respective educational institutions of foreign countries. We believe this is one of the goals of this Forum.
In conclusion I have a wish to share with you. We wish very much such meetings and forums are held more often.
We are happy to see all of you in Tashkent, and not only in Tashkent, but also in the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva – the cradles of ancient history and civilization.
Taking this opportunity, allow me once again to express to you, our dear guests, and all participants of the Conference my enormous respect and sincere gratitude.
I wish you a fruitful work, pleasurable stay on the hospitable land of Uzbekistan, a sound health, new successes and best of luck in your endeavors.
Thank you for your attention.
Islam Karimov meets with ADB President
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov at the Oqsaroy February 16 met with President of the Asian Development Bank Haruhiko Kuroda who arrived in Uzbekistan to partake in the international conference “Fostering an Educated and Intellectually Advanced Generation – Critical Prerequisite of Sustainable Development and Modernization of Country” in progress in Tashkent.
Greeting the guest, the head of our state noted that the ADB is by right one of the most prominent and influential international financial institutions with which Uzbekistan is tied with long-standing and reliable bonds of partnership. Testifying to this fact is the bilateral constructive cooperation that has led to Asian Development Bank approving thirty-five joint projects totaling more than 8.6 billion US dollars with ADB funding share exceeding 3.8 billion dollars.
Cooperation of Uzbekistan with the ADB has included such areas as support for reforms in education and healthcare, modernization of power generating capacities and power industry infrastructure, of railway and motor road infrastructure, public utility services, structural transformation in agriculture, strengthening the financial sector.
A special place in Uzbekistan-ADB partnership is attached to interaction in reforming the education system in Uzbekistan whereby eight joint schemes totaling some 300 million US dollars have been executed.
The current state of bilateral relations is distinct with dynamism and a wide spectrum of cooperation areas. The annual growth of ADB operations in Uzbekistan has reached 1 billion dollars within the last few years. In this regard, it is highly symbolic that 508 million-dollar loan agreements for four projects worth 950 million dollars overall have been signed during ADB President’s current visit.
In addition, highly significant has been the Asian Development Bank’s 17 January 2012 decision to take part in funding the project of Ustyurt Gas and Chemical Complex at Surgil deposit with arrangement of deposit and overall volume of credits and guarantees constituting 400 million US dollars. ADB support for this project unique to CIS is vital as a catalyst for attracting foreign direct investments and loans.
Along with bilateral cooperation, Uzbekistan and the ADB have been active in addressing critical regional issues that has resulted in commissioning of power transmission lines to secure uninterrupted supply of 1.2 billion Kilowatt/hours of power per annum from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan; the successful completion by Uzbekistan Railways state stock company of the first railroad in the history of Afghanistan that has linked the cities of Hairaton and Mazar-Sharif. These joint projects have come to constitute a crucial input into the consolidation of peace, socio-economic reconstruction in the post-conflict Afghanistan as well as the enhancement of regional economic cooperation in Central Asia.
Another, latest dimension of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the ADB has become the development of alternative energy sources. As part of solar power initiative brought forward by ADB chief Haruhiko Kuroda during the Bank’s 2010 annual meeting in Tashkent, deals were reached on February 16, 2012, on setting up a joint international research institute of solar energy, with Uzbekistan’s Academy of Sciences, to create an eminent center for the development of modern technologies in alternative energy sources.
President Karimov has awarded the ADB President Kuroda a high state reward – the order “Buyuk Khizmatlari Uchun” (For Great Services) – for the latter’s remarkable contribution to bolstering cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Asian Development Bank and other international financial institutions, the energetic assistance in executing the socio-economic reform program, the expansion and reinforcement of regional partnership.
ADB President expressed sincere gratitude to the leader of our country for the warm welcome and high attention, and underscored the Asian Development Bank’s willingness in boosting its cooperation with Uzbekistan.
At the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the current state of bilateral cooperation, defined priority dimensions of further expanding partnership relations, and discussed enhancing regional cooperation in Central Asia. (Source: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov met with Special Representative of the President of the French Republic, Minister of Transport Thierry Mariani at the Oqsaroy February 17.
Once the talks commenced, Minister Mariani handed President Nicolas Sarkozy’s greeting letter to the head of our state on the occasion of twentieth anniversary of diplomatic relations established between Uzbekistan and France.
President of Uzbekistan conveyed cordial gratitude for the congratulations and expressed warm wishes for the French leader. Islam Karimov noted that in Uzbekistan, France is considered a long-term and reliable partner, interaction with which traces deep into historical past, successfully developing in the current stage across diverse areas.
The regular interstate dialogue has facilitated closer relations between our two peoples, enhancement of multilayered ties in various spheres of shared interest.
Uzbekistan and France closely cooperate within the framework of the United Nations and other international institutions. The two countries entertain similar views and positions with regard to consolidating peace and stability, countering contemporary threats and challenges.
France is one of our nation’s important trade-economic and investment partners in Europe. Uzbek-French trade in 2011 exceeded 350 million US dollars.
Successful examples of interaction have included, to name but a few, the cooperation with Airbus in procurement of ten A-320 airliners, with Technip in the construction of Bukhara Oil Refinery (jointly with Japan’s Marubeni), with Oberture and Tales on air traffic control at Navoi Airport and biometric passport introduction in Uzbekistan, Serinnov in arranging for production of china, Comau France within a scheme to supply with equipment for auto engines.
Thierry Mariani thanked the President of Uzbekistan for the reception and confirmed the French leadership’s willingness to build up the bilateral comprehensive and mutually advantageous cooperation.
Regional and international issues have also been discussed during the meeting.
Uzbek Model of Education: Looking to the Future, Meeting Modern Requirements
Participants of the international conference “Fostering a Well Educated and Intellectually Advanced Generation – Critical Prerequisite for Sustainable Development and Modernization of Country” on February 16 traveled to general schools, professional colleges, universities in Tashkent and familiarized with tangible effects of ongoing educational reforms and conditions created for students. National News Agency of Uzbekistan (UzA) reporter has had a talk with some of the guests.
Mohd Ridzuan bin Haji Mohd Shariff, Deputy Director of the Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations, Malaysia:
“First and foremost, I have taken note of the rich technical equipment and material affluence of schools and the high level of training standards among students. The international conference we are attending proves rather important in the sense that we have a first-hand opportunity to study the accomplishments of Uzbekistan in many areas, including education, to exchange views and experience with local and other colleagues. Uzbekistan has evidently made great strides toward perfecting the sphere of education that has effectively turned into a robust system, laying all the needed ground for further development and cashing in the quite resourceful indigenous potential.”
Peter Vorobienko, Rector of Odessa National Telecommunications Academy, Ukraine:
“I was in Tashkent for the first time in 1997, and now I daresay Uzbekistan has made significant achievements in the field of education during the years of its independent development. The great emphasis placed under the leadership of President Islam Karimov on nurturing a healthy and comprehensively advanced growing generation has been yielding fine results. In fact, a new system of education has been created here in this country. I previously was familiar merely with the higher education system in Uzbekistan, and now, thanks to this symposium, I am delighted to get closely acquainted with the entire educational system along with the National Program for Specialist Training. Education institutions here are afforded tremendous material and technical base to stimulate the learning process. The awe-inspiring education of children, their activity and the desire to learn and study is noteworthy. Education, a key factor in determining the level and development of social consciousness, shapes the spiritual and ethical state of the people. It is hard to raise the level of spiritual wealth without transforming the education system that would look to the future.
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Dr Richard Harvey, dean at the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom:
“A good deal of consideration placed on education is crucial in upbringing highly qualified specialists for all sectors of economy. In Uzbekistan, high results are attained by wide-scale efforts directed at consolidating the economic and technical capacities of education institutions, providing them with latest methods and technologies and creating a conducive environment for the youth to acquire profound knowledge. Of great importance is the high intellectual potential of the Uzbek students. The effectiveness of wide-ranging reforms in all spheres of society depends primarily on the level of spiritual state of the people, the development of science and education, and crucially the transformation in the way of thinking. To ensure a steadfast development of any country is by and large contingent on the highly qualified specialists. This issue is addressed in Uzbekistan with remarkable success. Ongoing education reforms in Uzbekistan deserve high appreciation. This model is designed to set up a completely new system of education, created in a brief period of time and catering to modern requirements as well as those of distant prospects.”
Rosario De La Cruz Lopez, director of Mirabal College, Spain:
“I visited the school no.69 in Tashkent. I especially liked the classrooms with the necessary conditions and laboratory instruments and reagents. I got delighted with a mathematics lesson, which was not only informative but also fun – indicative of the highly qualified teachers. The learning process is highly organized here in this country at large, at vocational college of hotel management and service in particular, where I encountered a high level of teaching and learning.” (Source: UzA News Agency)
ECONOMY
International Solar Energy Institute opened in Uzbekistan
International Solar Energy Institute was launched in Uzbekistan, which should enable the country to become an international knowledge hub and solar technology exporter.
International Solar Energy Institute was created at the financial assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda said: “Solar has been shown to provide the most renewable potential for Uzbekistan. Harnessing it to fuel development is no longer simply an option - it is a necessity,”
“ADB supports Uzbekistan’s commitment to building expertise, research, innovation and manufacturing capacity, and to making cost-effective investments in clean energy infrastructure, technologies and practices,” he added.
The International Solar Energy Institute (ISEI) is envisioned to become an internationally recognized source of expertise for solar energy education, training and technology. Its applied research will bring innovation, promote technology transfer and spur efficient and economic solar technology use.
According to some calculations, opportunity of renewable energy in Uzbekistan can be equal to 51 billion tonnes of oil.
Current technologies will allow Uzbekistan to produce energy equal to 179 million tonnes, which exceeds the volume of produced energy in Uzbekistan three times and allows to cut emission of 447 million tonnes of carbonic acid gases, various sulphureous compounds, nitric oxide, etc. (Source: UzDaily.com)
Uzbekistan produced over 3.84 million tons of coal in 2011
In 2011, the coal industry of Uzbekistan produced 106.5 billion soums worth of goods. More than 3.84 million tons of coal was produced with a growth rate of 105.9% compared to 2010. The share of Uzbekkumir is 3.55 million tons, while the forecast was 3.45 million tons; Apartak - 275 thousand tons; Shargunkumir - 18 tons – these figures were provided by open joint-stock Society for the extraction and sale of coal Uzbekkumir.
Budgetary organizations were delivered 235 thousand tons, 411 thousand tons of coal was sold through exchange trading, including 401 thousand tons to the population; thermal power plants of Uzbekenergo got over 3.2 million tons of coal, 35,000 tons went on export.
As reported in the company, the energy policy of Uzbekistan meets with international trends of formation of the energy balance structure. Thus, the global practice of substitution of some fuels on others is formed as follows: decrease of the share of oil and gas, and simultaneous growth of coal consumption.
Prospects for growth of coal production in Uzbekistan were identified by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On the priorities of industrial development of Uzbekistan in 2011-2015" of December 15, 2010.
A long-term program of the industry development has been designed. Its purpose is to create conditions for increasing the share of coal in the fuel mix for electricity production, satisfaction of growing demand for solid fuel of the population, institutions, public sector and other sectors of the economy, increasing exports, creating new jobs.
Today, three major projects are implemented in the coal industry, said Uzbekkumir chief engineer Yuri Krivenko. Power units ¹ 1-5 of Novo-Angren combined heat power plant are being transferred on round-the-clock combustion of coal (stage 1) with modernization of the Angren section worth $210.1 million. The development of capital investment of $ 75.42 million is provided in 2012.
Funds to be invested in supplying, installation and commissioning of twenty-three belt conveyors with a total length of 14.6 km to set up one bulldozer, three cranes, three mobile crushing plants, and one spreader along the stripping direction of Angren section.
The program of modernization, technical and technological re-equipment provides for a phased increase of coal mining and stripping. After implementation of the project, experts predict, stripping to increase from 17.2 million cubic meters to 42 million cubic meters, the coal production will grow from 3.7 million to 6.4 million tons.
According to the feasibility study, in 2011-2015 the Novo-Angren thermal power plant will annually burn an average of 3 million tons of coal, and since 2016 - 4.4 million tons. As a result, 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas will be saved by 2016.
The main emphasis is placed on integrated development of coal deposits, management of the extraction and use of produced minerals - kaolin, limestone, gypsum, gravel, etc. Our own high-quality raw materials base will expand and new production of import-substituting and export-oriented products will be organized: ceramics, sanitary ware, refractory bricks, insulators in technologically related industries.
In accordance with the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers "On measures to implement agreements reached during the state visit of President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov to China, and further development of bilateral cooperation" of April 28, 2011 an action plan for the modernization of Shargunkumir has been approved. It would increase capacity from 65 thousand tons of coal in 2011 to 900 thousand tons of coal in 2016, involving preferential loans from China through the SCO.
The factory on repairs of mining equipment with a 2.5-fold increase of capacity will be updated. Regulations for technical maintenance project worth $4.3 million was developed and approved. The undertaken extensive measures will bring the coal industry of Uzbekistan to the next level of development, and significantly increase its export potential.
In 2012, according to the forecast, coal miners will produce 4.28 million tons of coal with a growth rate of 111.2%. The share of Uzbekkumir will be 3.92 million tons with a growth rate of 110.4%. Of these, 3.2 million tons are designed for the needs of Uzbekenergo, 299.5 thousand tons will go to government agencies, 309 tons to be sold through a stock sale, 540 tons will be provided to the population of the Farghona valley through distribution centers. This year, the industry got new consumers - brick factories, and greenhouses, which will be sold respectively 60 and 10 thousand tons of solid fuel.
Exports will amount to 15 thousand tons of coal, Uzbekkumir informed. (Source: UzReport.com)