September 04, 2009
Economics:
Technolog to double production volume
ACCESS holds trainings on establishing social enterprises
Private Operators to Enter Power Industry
Society:
New academic lyceum built in Gijduvan
New academic year begins
Uzbek boxers successfully start in Milan
ECONOMY
TECHNOLOG TO DOUBLE PRODUCTION VOLUME
Tashkent-based Technolog company has for half a century produced special technological and non-standard equipment and technologies for various industries of Uzbekistan.
This year, the enterprise plans doubling its production volume. The first half year results prove the plans of Technolog with its five daughter companies are quite realistic, National News Agency UzA reported.
In the first six month of 2009, the company produced 1.5 times more industrial products than in the same period of last year.
For instance, Technolog-Stan produced parts and details for foreign-made equipment used at the country’s largest heat power stations, indlucing Tashkent, Takhiatash, Navoi, Syrdarya and Novo-Angrenskaya stations.
In cooperation with Samarkand automobile plant, Technolog launched production of cesspool cleaning and watering machines, sand spreaders, fish carriers and other machinery.
The products made by Technolog are used in bridge building, railway, oil and gas and other sectors, as well as in the small business.
ACCESS HOLDS TRAININGS ON ESTABLISHING SOCIAL ENTERPRISES
A training course "Start your business!" has been launched within the framework of efforts on establishing social enterprises to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities (PWDs).
The training organized by "ACCESS", the joint project of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Uzbekistan, is aimed at improving knowledge and skills of leaders of NGOs and social organizations of PWDs on development and implementation of business-projects, Uzreport Information Portal reported.
The training organizers expect that participants will get information on establishing and further development of the business, including information on selection of sustainable business ideas and ways of searching for investments as well as developing skills regarding business plan preparation, and conducting easy-way marketing research and financial reporting.
The first training session of the series took place on 17-29 August in Tashkent, and hosted 14 representatives of NGOs and social organizations of PWDs from three project pilot regions (the Tashkent, Samarkand and Shahrisabz cities).
"Through the course, we got familiar with business planning and improved our entrepreneurial skills that we are going to apply in our work to make it more effective", said Farkhad Abdurakhmanov, a representative of the NUR Association of Entrepreneurs with Disabilities.
Theoretical and legislative aspects and practical trainings were included in a 14-day curriculum. The training climaxed with participants presenting their business plans developed at the final practical session.
Such practical trainings are of special importance now as the project "ACCESS" is planning to announce a contest for the best Business Project on employment of people with disabilities among NGOs and social organizations of PWDs in October-November this year. The contest winners will receive equipment and/or technologies for starting or expanding their business as well as professional education upon request from the Project. Consultants of the project will render consultative assistance for sustainability of new businesses during one year.
The following training session "Start your business!" for leaders of NGOs and social organizations of PWDs from the project's pilot regions (2 representatives from each organization) will take place in Tashkent, September 14-26.
The project ACCESS (Accessibility Civic Consciousness Employment Social Support) is aimed at expanding the opportunities of social integration and employment for PWDs through raising public awareness and forming a positive public opinion on the issues of disability; improving the coordination and the building capacity of state and non-state actors in the promotion of implementation of legislation towards PWD; promoting accessibility to social infrastructure; creating a system of social support and the employment of PWDs.
PRIVATE OPERATORS TO ENTER POWER INDUSTRY
State Joint-Stock Company Uzbekenergo began attracting investors on a competitive basis for establishing private operators to collect payment for electricity.
The government has approved regulations on the procedure of competitive selection of investors for establishing private operators and rules for their activity.
Prior to a competitive selection, Uzbekenergo will compile a list of districts and cities where it is supposed to transfer powers for collecting payments from its regional units to private operators.
Uzbekenergo noted that these measures are aimed at introducing modern techniques of management and accounting at settling payments for electricity, reducing non-technological power losses and effective collection of payments.
According to the developed schedule of competitive selection, there will be special tender commissions in each region. Along with representatives of Uzbekenergo and its regional units, commissions will be composed of local authorities as well as representatives of ministries and departments, such as Uzgosenergonadzor (Uzbek state energy surveillance service), Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Finance, State Tax Committee and others. The commission will approve the list of investors’ bids, elaborate eligibility and other requirements for participants, determine the date of tender announcement, place of distributing tender documents, as well as the deadline, place, date and time of opening. Also, if necessary, the tender commission may engage independent experts and consultants for assessing the submitted proposals; it also announces the winner of a competitive selection or decides on the recognition of the contest as failed and performs other functions. Potential investors will be informed of the competition through mass media.
After the commission identifies the winner, the latter should register within a month and start the work in accordance with the submitted business plan. The income of the private operator will be formed of the compensation for the collected payments. These funds may increase depending on the growth in the collection rate.
All competitive selections, to take place in several regions (Tashkent, Syrdarya, Ferghana, Samarkand, Namangan, Jizzak and others), will be held before January 1, 2010. At the moment, Uzbekenergo is working on a list of other regions where the collection of payment for electric energy should be transferred from state-owned enterprises to private owners, as well as on the schedule of contests.
SOCIETY
NEW ACADEMIC LYCEUM BUILT IN GIJDUVAN
The academic lyceum of the Bukhara State Medical Institute was commissioned in Gijduvan district of Bukhara region.
The educational institution can accommodate 795 students and is provided with the latest equipment complying with state educational standards.
“The students of our lyceum will study natural and exact sciences, humanities and foreign languages,” said the lyceum director Zebo Abdullayeva. “250 children have been accepted this academic year.”
According to her, the lyceum has signed a contract on cooperation with Bukhara State Medical Institute, which envisages teaching of the students by professors of the institute.
NEW ACADEMIC YEAR BEGINS
New academic year started at all educational institutions of Uzbekistan on 3 September. The first class at schools was the Independence class, UzA reported.
According to the Public Education Ministry, more than 477,000 boys and girls went to the schools for the first time. All of them were provided with the gifts of the President – textbooks and other study items.
More than 595,000 young people, who finished nine grades at schools, went to the professional education institutions – colleges and lyceums.
As reported earlier, the country’s universities accepted 57,300 new students for bachelor courses this year.
In accordance with the state program of school education development for 2004-2009, a total of 8,500 schools across Uzbekistan were repaired or built over these years.
In particular, 351 new school buildings were raised, 2,470 schools were reconstructed, and almost 6,000 schools underwent capital and current repairs.
UZBEK BOXERS SUCCESSFULLY START IN MILAN
More than 500 sportsmen from 133 countries are participating in the world boxing championship in Milan, Italy.
The members of the team of Uzbekistan started the competitions successfully.
Shakhriyor Isoqov won over Louis Davil Caicho from Peru, Sanjarbek Rahmanov beat Jabir Al-Sheayri from Egypt, while Khurshid Tajibayev had a victory over Mahmud Isesish from Jordan.
2007 world and Asian champion Abbos Atoyev had a victory over Ahmad Saraku from Ghana with a score 16:4.