Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — At the sixth plenary session of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, lawmakers approved a law introducing amendments to several legislative acts aimed at improving the social services system.

The adopted changes focus on increasing the efficiency of service delivery through the expanded use of digital technologies. Notably, the Law “On State Pension Provision of Citizens” now includes provisions for the automatic (proactive) assignment of pensions to individuals reaching retirement age — 60 for men and 55 for women — without the need to apply to the Pension Fund or Public Service Centers.

Under this initiative, eligible citizens will receive a notification by SMS indicating the amount of their pension, provided they meet legal requirements.

The law also gives citizens the option to decline the automatically assigned pension if they wish to continue working and defer their pension benefits.

Additionally, in connection with the transfer of responsibilities for all social benefit assignments and payments to the newly established National Agency for Social Protection, relevant amendments have been made to the laws “On State Duties” and “On Employment of the Population.”

Senators emphasized that these reforms will streamline pension procedures, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and improve the quality of public services. The law was unanimously approved as a timely and necessary step in ongoing social reforms.