Syrdarya region will become an innovative region

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President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Syrdarya region on April 7.

An extraordinary session of the Syrdarya regional Kengash of People's Deputies was held in the city of Gulistan.

At the beginning of his speech, the head of state noted that the residents of the region achieve great results by working with a high patriotic consciousness.

Over the past six years, 30 trillion soums of investments have been attracted to the region, 6,640 new enterprises have been launched. Thanks to this, 55 thousand permanent jobs were created, 17 thousand families were lifted out of poverty.

The number of entrepreneurs has also increased in the Syrdarya region. New industries have emerged, such as building materials, pharmaceuticals, leather and food industries, which did not exist before. In particular, 274 projects were implemented in construction materials, and this sector has become a new driver. Its share in the industry of the region exceeded 7 percent.

The region ranks first in the republic in the production and export of melons. Syrdarya produces a third of our country's electricity, 16 percent of leather and 10 percent of pharmaceutical products.

After the President's trip in October last year, a program was adopted to turn the Syr Darya into a region free of unemployment. The region has additionally allocated 2 trillion soums for its implementation.

In particular, 20 thousand residents were granted preferential loans, 5 thousand unemployed young people were given subsidies for equipment. Assistance was also provided in organizing the activities of more than 2 thousand artisans, more than 12 thousand boys and girls were trained in the craft. An additional 5 thousand hectares of land were allocated to the population for agriculture, 10 thousand people received a source of income.

The Head of our state noted that the achieved results are now history, and there are still many opportunities for the socio-economic development of the region.

In particular, Syrdarya has rich natural resources. There is 2-3 times more cultivated land per capita here than in other regions. The level of water availability in agriculture is also high. If you bring science and innovation, you can increase production and exports.

Syrdarya is located near Tashkent, the largest consumer market in the republic. It also has a convenient transport corridor between two neighboring countries – Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.

The Head of State stressed the need to use these opportunities and turn the Syr Darya into a "Region of advanced innovations" in industry, entrepreneurship, agriculture, education and medicine.

China's experience will be useful here. This country has made great strides in these areas. In addition, Chinese investors are showing great interest in the region. Over the past six years, more than 60 large industrial enterprises have been opened in the city of Shirin, Mirzaabad and Syrdarya districts. In 2022 alone, more than $250 million of Chinese investments were attracted to the region.

At the meeting, the President announced 5 new initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of Syrdarya residents.

Firstly, a special preferential regime will be introduced in the Zone of Advanced Innovations for projects in 20 areas of biopharmaceuticals, building materials, agriculture, food industry, electrical engineering, medicine and education. They will be exempt from paying land tax, property taxes, profit and turnover, as well as customs duties for a period of 3 years. Land plots in the zone will be allocated in a simplified manner, plots and buildings can be bought in installments for 5 years.

Also, an Uzbek-Chinese biotechnological cluster with an investment volume of $ 500 million will be created in the Syr Darya. Together with the leading universities of China, an international university of education and research, an innovative medicine clinic, a Central Asian Genomic Center, and a cell therapy center for the treatment of oncological diseases will be established in Gulistan. The cluster will also produce modern diagnostic devices, innovative vaccines, probiotics and oncological medicines.

200 hectares of land will be allocated for the cluster, academic buildings for 10 thousand students, a modern campus, laboratories, and a school of engineers will be built.

Second. 11 districts and cities of the region will specialize in industry, innovative technology parks will be created in each according to the Chinese model. They plan to implement innovative projects in the field of electrical engineering, biopharmaceuticals, chemistry, building materials, sericulture and the food industry. Technoparks will be granted the status of a free economic zone with the introduction of a simplified system of the "processing in the customs territory" regime. This year, 200 billion soums will be allocated for the infrastructure of the technopark.

To finance investment projects in the Syr Darya, an Uzbek-Chinese Investment Fund will be created together with the authoritative Chinese Silk Road Fund of China and other financial institutions. $1 billion will be invested in the fund.

The third. The most advanced agricultural technologies will be introduced in the Syr Darya. The khokim of the region will be advised by agricultural experts from China, investors will be attracted to modernize irrigation and reclamation systems.

Also, with the help of the Chinese experience, livestock and poultry eco-complexes will be created in Saikhunabad, and intensive plantations of pomegranate, melon, pecan and fish will be created in Mirzaabad. Facilities for the production of natural dyes from plants, a technopark for the storage, processing and packaging of fruits and vegetables will be created in Havasta. Cooperation will be established with leading universities in China to create salt-resistant and drought-resistant crops, new livestock breeds.

Fourth. Syrdarya will be transformed into a major logistics hub connecting our country with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, China and Afghanistan. For this purpose, in cooperation with Chinese investors, new transport routes and a multimodal logistics center will be built, linking the eastern and central parts of the republic and integrated with foreign destinations.

In addition, an experiment to attract the private sector to the construction, maintenance and management of roads will begin from the Syr Darya.

Fifth. Based on the results of medical reforms and available opportunities, the city of Gulistan will be turned into a hub of innovative medicine.

The organizational issue was considered at the session. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev recommended the candidacy of Akmaljon Makhmudaliyev for the post of khokim of the Syrdarya region.

A.Makhmudaliyev was born in 1974. He has extensive experience in government agencies. He held the positions of khokim of Uchkuprik district of Fergana region, deputy khokim of Navoi region for agriculture and water management. Since November last year, he has been acting as the khokim of Syrdarya.

Before discussing the candidacy, the participants listened to the candidate's program. Akmaljon Makhmudaliyev presented his plans for the development of entrepreneurship, industry, agriculture, and the creation of decent living conditions for the population of the region.

The Head of State gave instructions to the responsible persons on the implementation of the voiced proposals.

It is envisaged that 380 billion soums will be allocated for solving social issues in the Syr Darya in addition to the 685 billion soums provided for in the state programs for the current year, and another 110 billion soums for the development of family entrepreneurship.

It was instructed to attract $ 1 billion for industrial, agricultural and entrepreneurial projects, $ 105 million for the construction of infrastructure.

At the same time, the task was set to attract foreign investment and turn the Syrdarya region into an innovative region.

After the presentation, the deputies of the regional kengash expressed their opinions on the candidate's program. The organizational issue was put to the vote. According to its results, Akmaljon Makhmudaliyev was approved by the khokim of the Syrdarya region.