Uzbekistan plans to expand targeted support for low-income families. Starting next year, the state will begin covering part of the costs associated with children's education and upbringing through a voucher system.
Children from families registered in the 'Social Register' will receive compensation for attending both public and private kindergartens, as well as for training at educational centers, transportation, and residence in student dormitories. This voucher will be valid for 12 months and will remain effective even after the family is removed from the register.
Additionally, working mothers will receive benefits from the Social Insurance Fund until the child reaches one year of age.
Changes in the criteria for inclusion in the 'Social Register'
By the end of the current year, the mechanism for including families in the 'Social Register' itself will be adjusted. Now, in addition to income levels, authorities will take into account factors such as chronic illnesses, degree of disability, total number of children, and the presence of relatives working abroad.
At a meeting chaired by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, it was noted that given the overall poverty rate in the country, which stands at 3.9% among families with children under three years old, this figure will increase to 6.5%.
New training programs and powers
There will also be changes in the work of district heads' assistants. For this category of employees, a special training center involving foreign experts will be established over two months. The best employees are planned to be sent for internships to China, Japan, and Turkey, and the most successful assistants to district heads may qualify for a bonus of up to 50%. A similar training system will also be introduced for mahalla bankers.
Districts will also be granted additional powers in carrying out infrastructure projects. They will be allowed to involve private businesses in the design, construction, and quality control stages. For projects aimed at creating jobs in difficult mahallas, republican authorities have proposed increasing local funding two to three times.