Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In 2023, the poverty level in Uzbekistan decreased from 14% to 11%, reports the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

The Statistics Agency and the Center for Economic Research and Reform conducted the analysis, noting a decrease in poverty by 3 percentage points compared to 2022.

A poverty reduction was recorded in all regions. A significant decrease in poverty was recorded in the Syrdarya region (from 19.5% to 13.8%), Andijan region (from 17.4% to 11.9%) and Karakalpakstan (from 19.9% to 13.7%).

The smallest changes were recorded in the city of Tashkent (from 8.5% to 7.9%), Bukhara region (from 11.9% to 11.8%) and Kashkadarya region (from 12.7% to 11.5%).

In 2023, 4.1 million citizens were employed, of which 2.3 million work in permanent and seasonal jobs, 112.8 thousand in paid public works, and another 1.6 million became self-employed. Assistants to khokims allocated land plots for rent to 241.3 thousand citizens.

The program “20 thousand entrepreneurs and 500 thousand qualified specialists” entered into agreements with 6,745 business entities to create jobs for 455 thousand residents. Loans worth 10 trillion have been allocated. soums to finance 472 thousand family business projects.

In 2023, 206 thousand new jobs were created thanks to the implementation of 51 thousand micro-projects. 181 thousand unemployed citizens were trained, 183.8 thousand new business entities were created.

Through the creation of “Individual programs” for low-income families in 2023, 873 thousand members of 208 thousand families were lifted out of poverty, the Ministry notes.

In 2024, it is planned to lift another 150 thousand families (700 thousand people) out of poverty.