October 02, 2009
Politics:
Cabinet approves 2010 budget
Media sign agreements on elections coverage
Economics:
Uzbek-Brazilian business forum held
Preparation for winter season underway in Navoi
Navoiazot increases production
Society:
Amnestied persons return to families
USAID-funded Tuberculosis Control Program concludes its work in Uzbekistan
POLICY
CABINET APPROVES 2010 BUDGET
The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan approved the forecast of the main macroeconomic parameters, the concept of the tax and budget policy and the draft state budget for 2010 on October 2.
The forecast envisages preservation of the high growth rates of the GDP and the volumes of industrial production, including consumer goods production and construction works and services, National News UzA reported.
The tax and budget policy concept for the next year envisages reduction of the tax burden on the economic entities and the share of the tax payments in the GDP, stimulation of the modernization of production, increase of the population’s incomes and easing the tax administration.
In particular, the government plans reducing the base income tax rate and single tax for micro firms and small enterprises, as well as unifying the fixed tax for individual entrepreneurs. Besides, the plan is to unify existing profit tax preferences for enterprises modernizing their industrial facilities.
The income tax for individuals will also be reduced, and the population will receive additional preferences in the form of reduction of the taxed income for the amount of money paid for education at universities, as well as money voluntarily paid to the individual saving pension accounts.
The main directions of the budget policy for 2010 stipulate increase of the minimum salary, optimization of the financing of the budget-financed structures and raising the efficiency of the social protection of the population.
In the framework of the Anti-crisis program, the budget envisages allocation of funds for financing the construction, modernization and reconstruction of the objects of industrial and social infrastructure.
The approved macroeconomic forecast, tax and budget policy concept and the state budget for 2010 will be sent to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (parliament) for consideration.
MEDIA SIGN AGREEMENTS ON ELECTIONS COVERAGE
The Central Election Commission and the National TV and radio company, as well as the Journalists’ creative union and the Independent press and news agencies support fund signed agreements on coverage of the parliamentary election campaign in Uzbekistan.
As reported earlier, the elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and the regional, district and city people’s deputies councils will be held in December.
The agreements are aimed at ensuring transparency and openness of the election process and wide informing of the population and foreign public of the related events.
“The main goal of our cooperation is creating necessary conditions for the voters for free participation in the elections and helping them make the right choice on the day of the elections,” Mirza Ulughbek Abusalomov, chairman of the Election Commission, said.
ECONOMY
UZBEK-BRAZILIAN BUSINESS FORUM HELD
The forum of business circles of Uzbekistan and Brazil was held in Tashkent on September 30.
The event was organized by the Ministry of foreign economic relations, investments and trade of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of development, industry and foreign trade of Brazil.
It gathered representatives of the state bodies and companies working in foreign trade, industry, investments, banking and finance, oil and gas, aircraft and machine building, transportation, agriculture, IT, tourism and other sectors.
The forum was chaired by vice foreign trade minister of Uzbekistan Akmal Kamalov and the executive secretary of the Brazilian ministry Ivan Ramalio.
Uzbekistan and Brazil have large opportunities in the trade and economic sphere. If in 2008 the mutual trade made up USD 121.3 million, in the first half of 2009 this figure comprised USD 100 million.
During the recent visit to Brazil of the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov a number of documents on cooperation in various spheres were signed.
The business forum participants considered attraction of Brazilian investments to Uzbekistan and development of joint projects.
PREPARATION FOR WINTER SEASON UNDERWAY IN NAVOI
Measures to satisfy the demand of the population of food products in the coming winter season are being implemented in all regions of the country, including Navoi.
Regional fruit and vegetable trade and storage company has set up territorial branches in all towns and districts.
Contracts worth a total of UZS 897.6 million for supply of various products have been signed with related organizations and companies.
According to company director Muzaffar Tairov, the company will store 2,000 tons of potatoes, 1,300 tons of onion, 410 tons of fruit, 256 tons of melons and watermelons, 188 tons of grain and bean products and 235 tons of rice for the winter.
The company is preparing trade points at the regional markets and will open fruit and vegetable stores in all parts of the region.
NAVOIAZOT INCREASES PRODUCTION
Navoiazot, one of the country’s largest chemical enterprises, has exceeded the forecast parameters for the three quarters of 2009.
The launch of the nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer facility was an important event in the life of the enterprise this year. Ammonium sulfate and ammonia water produced here are sent to agricultural enterprises. The company also produces chemicals required for gold complexes.
Serious attention is paid to the efficient use of production capacities and introduction of energy-efficient, environmentally safe and highly-productive technologies, as well as expanding production of competitive chemical products.
“Upgrading the outdated equipment has helped us improve economic figures,” said deputy chairman of Navoiazot Nusrat Soliyev. “According to the modernization program, 14 projects are scheduled, most of which have already been implemented.”
Thanks to gradual improvement of the quality of products, the number of foreign customers is growing. Ammonium nitrate, nitronic fiber, acetic acid, methanol and chlorine are exported to Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
In the first half of this year, production worth USD 33 million exported to foreign markets.
Currently, the company plans to build a facility for production of 50,000 tons of PVC and 32,000 tons of caustic soda.
SOCIETY
AMNESTIED PERSONS RETURN TO FAMILIES
The respective state bodies and non-governmental organizations are continuing implementation of the Senate’s resolution of 28 August on the amnesty in connection with the 18th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence.
The measures to create conditions for the adaptation of the people returning to their families, their employment and improvement of their health have been defined.
The amnestied people living alone and the elderly persons are being provided with social support, and the underage are submitted to the control of their parents of related bodies.
A particular attention is paid to the adaptation of the amnestied women.
“Freedom is the greatest gift. Nothing can replace family and close ones,” Shahnoza Abdujabbarova, who served her sentence at Zangiata colony in Tashkent region, said.
“This act of humanism helps people who committed a crime by mistake reconsider their lives and return to normal life,” Dilshod Izzatov, judge of Zangiata district criminal court said.
USAID-FUNDED TUBERCULOSIS CONTROL PROGRAM CONCLUDES ITS WORK IN UZBEKISTAN
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Project HOPE held a conference on 29 September in Tashkent to review the results of their joint 5-year Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program in Uzbekistan.
The conference gathered representatives of the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan, USAID, National Research Institute of TB and Pulmonology, Republican DOTS Center, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), World Health Organization, and other Uzbek as well as international organizations working on tuberculosis prevention.
This $4 million program assisted the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan in implementing the National Tuberculosis Control Program from 2004 to 2009. The program trained health providers and decision-makers (managers at the rayon and oblast level), and helped local specialists monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their work.
The USAID-funded program helped national specialists develop the academic curricula on TB, standards for a laboratory network, as well as recommendations on external quality control, monitoring, and drug management related to TB.
More than 4,000 health care providers were trained on DOTS strategy, management of TB control, supervision, TB and HIV co-infection, multi-drug resistant TB, drug management, and counseling of TB patients.
The USAID-funded program also worked to increase TB awareness among healthcare providers and population. The program trained more than 150 journalists and 200 makhalla leaders to provide information about TB to general population. With their support, the program educated more than 35,000 people on TB symptoms and the importance of timely medical care.
Additionally, a series of TV and radio programs and public service announcements on TB issues were broadcast on 22 regional TV channels and numerous radio stations and reached more than 22 million of the country's residents.
The USAID-funded TB Control Program was implemented by Project HOPE in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Republican DOTS Center, National TB Research Institute of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and other local and international partners. The program is one of the many that were made possible by the American people through USAID.