Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Dozens of production facilities are operating effectively in Kokand FEZ. The BNBM Building Materials Central Asia enterprise has recently been established here.

During the trip to Ferghana region, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the enterprises’ activities.

About US$30 million in direct foreign investments have been invested in the project, and the production of drywall and its decorative types with a capacity of 30 million and 4 million square meters per year, respectively, has been established. 200 new jobs have been created.

The ceremony of launching new production facilities in Ferghana region was also held here. These are Fargona Yasin Qurilish Mollari in Beshariq district, Mollis and Proker in Uchkuprik district, Chinor Plus – 2020 in Rishtan district, Expo Kollor Prin Tex in Toshloq district, Bahodir Logon Textile in Ferghana district, Cement Khomashyo Savdosi in Uzbekistan district, Global Textile Infinity in Qushtepa district, as well as branches of scientific-practical centers of emergency medical care and cardiology.

Then, the President chaired a meeting on attracting investments, developing industry, and entrepreneurship. The leadership of the Republic of Karakalpakstan and khokims of all regions and districts joined the meeting via videoconference.

At the pre-election meeting, big plans were outlined to improve people’s life, attract active investments in the region’s economy and increase Ferghana residents’ incomes.

“The minister or khokim, who thinks we have seven more years ahead and can start work next year, is deeply mistaken. Because our people are already waiting for concrete results on every initiative put forward in the election programs. If the way of working from the very top to the mahalla does not change, if managers at all levels do not learn to work according to the principle “every new day is a new opportunity”, we will lose time”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

The President noted that the indicators of some districts and cities of Ferghana region for attracting foreign direct investment could be better.

For example, only US$25 million was invested in Ferghana in six months of last year, and the figure for the same period of this year is even lower – US$12 million. The volume of foreign direct investment in Margilan, Uzbekistan, Bagdad, and Tashlak districts is less than half last year’s figure.

It was noted that Ferghana, which once occupied one of the leading places in the industry, has now fallen to 12th place in the country. The industrial potential needs to be used more. For example, in the first half of the year, industrial production in Tashlak decreased by 17 percent, Kokand by 3 percent, Oltiariq by 1.3 percent, and Quva by 1.2 percent.

The situation with providing affordable housing to the population needs to be revised. Only 42 were commissioned out of 212 houses planned to be built in the region this year.

The development of the service sector in the region could be better.

The number of regional enterprises that ceased operations in six months of 2022 was 2.5 thousand, and today this figure has reached 14.5 thousand.

At the beginning of the year, 60 districts of the country were included in the fourth and fifth categories, and a separate program for their economic development was launched. In Ferghana, entrepreneurs of Furkat, Yazyavan, and Sokh districts included in these categories have benefited from tax benefits worth 30 billion UZS over the past six months. However, instead of improving the situation, the incomes of entrepreneurs decreased compared to last year.

The fact that large areas in industrial zones are empty was also criticized. Khokims of 19 districts and cities of the region need to use the available opportunities, offering unused plots to entrepreneurs.

“If there are many vacant places, khokims do not get tired of asking to change the agricultural category of land to industrial. The saddest thing is that in the region, there are cases of privatization of state-owned industrial facilities and the construction of individual housing on their territory”, the Head of state noted.

The Prosecutor General’s Office and Cadastral Agency were tasked with investigating such cases and ensuring the rule of law. It is determined that decisions on changing the category of industrial land will be made only with the consent of the Government Commission.

It was emphasized that the work on providing cultivated land for rent was organized “for the show”. Plots located far from the place of residence or water sources were allocated. According to the survey results, 32 percent of tenants did not receive assistance from the district khokimiyats. It was noted that the measures taken to curb inflation and ensure market price stability are also unsatisfactory.

Several heads of regional, city, and district levels were dismissed from office due to severe shortcomings in their activities and improper organization of work.

To identify untapped opportunities of the region and their implementation, responsible persons of the republican level were assigned to each district and city. They defined additional reserves of US$2 billion, met with entrepreneurs, and developed projects.

“If khokims find time, meet with entrepreneurs, delve into their problems, listen to their initiatives, then by the end of the year, all districts of the region can easily attract at least US$100 million of investments”, the Head of state said.

The President showed these opportunities through the example of Quva and Beshariq districts.

The President announced mobilization in all regions by the end of the year to implement the experiment that started in Ferghana. The task was set to take measures to attract at least US$100 million to each district by the end of the year.

Due to the increase in minimum consumer spending from 500 thousand to 570 thousand UZS, another 9 thousand Ferghana families fall under the poor category. In this regard, it was instructed to assign khokim’s assistants to each such family and take measures to increase their income.

It was instructed to replace 1,157 hectares of cultivated land put up for auction for agriculture, but left unclaimed with plots convenient for the population and create at least 15,000 jobs on these lands.

Following the meeting, reports of the heads of regions and spheres were heard.