Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Under the chairmanship of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a video conference meeting was held on 20 December on priority tasks for the development of information technology in industries and regions, digitalization of public administration.

Based on the requirements of the time, our country pays great attention to improving the telecommunications infrastructure and digitalization of spheres and industries. This year alone, 100 software projects have been developed as part of the digital transformation of such areas as education, banking, finance, customs, agriculture, geology, and cadastre. More than 500 new IT companies were created, and US$475 million of foreign direct investment entered the sector.

It is expected that by the end of the year the volume of industry services will reach 10 trillion soums, and their exports will exceed US$300 million. This indicator grew at a rapid pace in the Tashkent, Samarkand, and Andijan regions. In Surkhandarya region, the export of IT services worth more than US$1 million was also established for the first time. More than 20 thousand young people in the regions independently engage in programming and sell their products through international online platforms.

The meeting determined the creation of additional conditions for the development of the industry:

- IT companies in the regions will be located in unused buildings free of charge for a period of one year;

- talented programmers will be provided with computers and equipment in annual installments;

- companies that hire more than 50 IT specialists will be compensated for up to 15 percent of wage costs during the year;

- exporting enterprises will be compensated for 50 percent of the costs of attracting foreign specialists and participating in international conferences.

To bring the IT park to the international level, its subsidiaries will be opened in Germany and Saudi Arabia.

In general, due to new opportunities in 2024, the volume of IT services can be doubled, it was noted at the meeting.

For this, first of all, personnel who speak foreign languages and technological skills are needed. In this regard, the Ministry of Digital Technologies has been tasked with selecting 8 thousand of the most talented young people next year and training them in a program that meets the standards of prestigious international companies.

Next year, the project “At least two programmers in each mahalla” will be launched, and 20 thousand people will be employed as part of the “Inclusive Digitalization” project jointly with American partners.

In 2026, for the first time in our country the International Olympiad in Informatics will be held. To prepare for it, competitions will be held, the best schoolchildren will be trained with the participation of qualified foreign trainers.

The head of our state emphasized that digitalization should begin with the mahalla.

Currently, workers in the makhalla system are provided with tablets and computers. But they are not taking full advantage of digital solutions. For example, a citizen who turns to a youth leader for a subsidy is required to bring a certificate of unemployment from the chairman of the mahalla, the assistant khokim or from the employment department.

Therefore, the responsible persons were instructed to launch a unified platform “Digital Mahalla” and train the “Makhalla Seven” in the use of information systems.

The meeting analyzed the state of digitalization in ministries and industries. It is emphasized that cost reduction in economic sectors can be achieved only and only through digitalization.

In some ministries and departments, work on digitalization is progressing slowly. For example, the Digital Health project is delayed, which is slowing down the implementation of health insurance. Due to the lack of an electronic registry of cancer patients, there are delays in the payment of benefits to them.

A digital system for monitoring the trade and use of pesticides has not been introduced in agriculture. In the city of Tashkent, the “Khalk Nazarati” system, which was positively received by the population, needs to be improved.

The need to quickly fill these gaps and accelerate digitalization in all areas was particularly emphasized.

“A leader who refuses digitalization is a leader who does not strive to end corruption,” said the President.

Issues of improving the infrastructure of the sphere will be touched upon, in particular increasing the speed of Internet access. It was noted that in some regions the Internet speed is low, 20 percent of international highways are not covered by mobile Internet. The task has been set to attract foreign investment for the development of digital infrastructure.

At the same time, the need to strengthen cybersecurity, develop and implement uniform cybersecurity requirements for all electronic payment systems is pointed out.

The head of state instructed to carefully work out plans to achieve next year such indicators as increasing the volume of IT services to 20 trillion soums, exports to US$800 million, the introduction of 130 information systems and the complete digitalization of 750 government services.

The head of state exchanged views with ministers, khokims and young programmers on current issues facing the field.