After President’s visit...

There are more than 500 mahallas in Bukhara region, and each of them is unique in its way. The sources of income and daily life of their residents differ from each other.

In Uzbekistan, special attention is paid to determining the path of development of each region, taking into account its capabilities. The results of these measures can be seen in the example of mahallas. Entrepreneurship is developing, new jobs are being created.

“Rabotiqalmoq” is one of the mahallas in Bukhara region. The conditions created for residents and entrepreneurs of this mahalla are few to be found anywhere. But more on that later...

Bukhara is an ancient city. It is mostly known for this. More precisely, it was so until recently. What has changed in the region today compared to what it was six or seven years ago? The answer to this question will be given by concrete figures and facts.

Until 2021, an average of 817 thousand tourists came to Bukhara every year. After the simplification of the visa regime and a series of reforms in the tourism sector, this figure has increased dramatically. So, last year more than 3 million 500 tourists visited the ancient city. If in previous years tourists were served by 117 hotels, today this figure has quadrupled.

In recent years, in the region, which previously relied mainly on the agricultural sector, the industry has become the main driver of the economy. Let’s pay attention to the numbers. Over the past six years, the volume of industrial production has increased five times. In 2021, the number of industrial enterprises in Bukhara exceeded 2 thousand. Currently, more than 5,500 enterprises operating in this sector.

The textile industry is rapidly developing in the region. If in 2016 only 24 percent of the cotton grown by Bukhara farmers was processed, then last year 80 percent of the cotton grown in the region was processed into finished products at local enterprises.

The results of projects aimed at developing the economy and improving the lives of the population are felt by Bukhara people.

Over the past four or five years, more houses have been built in Bukhara region than in 20-30 years. So, multi-storey buildings with more than 2 thousand apartments were erected last year.

On the initiative of the Head of state, major projects have been implemented in the region aimed at increasing the level of providing the population with drinking water. Six years ago, the level of provision of the region’s population with clean drinking water did not reach 50 percent. Today this figure exceeds 73 percent. A particularly great achievement during this period was the fact that over 230 thousand residents of Karakul and Alat districts received access to clean drinking water.

We can give many more such comparisons and figures. The results of the ongoing reforms today can be seen in everything – in the appearance of mahallas, the way of people’s life, their mood and confidence in the future.

Earlier, we mentioned the “Rabotiqalmoq” mahalla in Bukhara region, where over 9 thousand people live. On February 17, during a trip to Bukhara region, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited this mahalla. After the visit, we talked with residents and entrepreneurs. Shared their joy and excitement.

“Last year, we applied our unique experience and created a mahalla center”, said Rakhimjon Jumayev, Chairman of the citizens’ assembly of the “Rabotiqalmoq” mahalla. – The fact that the President personally visited this center, got acquainted with the life of the population, inspired us. The Head of state visited the house of Bakhtiyor Pulatov and talked with the hosts over a cup of tea. Just imagine, the issues of the most ordinary people are at the center of attention of the Head of state. We excitedly talked about the big changes taking place in our region, which are reflected in the appearance of mahallas, the lives of our families. We are working to transform the mahalla into a territory free from unemployment and crime. The President gave valuable advice and recommendations on what else we should pay attention to in this direction, gave relevant instructions to responsible persons.

It was not in vain that we mentioned that not everywhere you can find such conditions as in “Rabotiqalmoq” mahalla. Here it is appropriate to tell in more detail about the “Rabotiqalmoq” mahalla center.

At the beginning of last year, on the initiative of the Head of the sector of this district, with the support of local entrepreneurs, work began on the creation of this center. The good intention was realized by the end of the year. Today, a person who comes to the “Rabotiqalmoq” mahalla center will be surprised by the conditions created here.

The center includes a renovated mahalla building, an exhibition hall, a presentation hall for entrepreneurs, a service center for residents and entrepreneurs, a tea house, a recreation area, and a bathhouse.

“The new mahalla building has several modern amenities”, says Shakhob Ismoilov, the mahalla prevention inspector. – On the ground floor of the building there are offices of the Chairman of the citizens’ assembly of the mahalla, a women’s activist, an assistant to the hokim, a youth leader and a prevention inspector. It is essential to solving emerging problems quickly and collectively. More than 40 video surveillance cameras have been installed in settlements, rural centers, and deserted places. From all cameras, information is transmitted to the office of the prevention inspector. Such measures are effective in preventing crime in our mahalla.

The center also houses a museum that tells about the history and modern development of the mahalla, a library with a rich book fund, a chess club, rooms for sector workers, and an assembly hall.

There is a sewing enterprise of the Asia East Bukhara LLC on the territory of the “Rabotiqalmoq” mahalla center.

Last year, a building with all amenities was built on an abandoned plot of 21 acres, and the necessary sewing machines and equipment were purchased. As a result, at the beginning of this year, a project worth 1 billion 200 million UZS was launched. Over 30 women and girls of the mahalla got permanent jobs.

“We produce various children’s, men’s and women’s clothing”, says the head of the enterprise, Mukhtor Akhtamov. – Most of our products are exported. Even though we started work quite recently, we have already received an order from abroad for the first batch – 100,000 knitwear. The President got acquainted with the production process at our enterprise, the finished product. I talked with the workers. In the future, we plan to increase production capacity and create new jobs.

On the day of the visit of the Head of state, an exhibition of handicrafts was organized in the presentation hall for entrepreneurs.

“We will invite craftsmen from all districts of the region, representatives of manufacturing enterprises, and regularly organize exhibitions”, says Shukhrat Ochilov, head of the “Presentation Hall for Entrepreneurs” project. – We will promote projects aimed at ensuring the employment of women in production and based on home-based work.

In a word, practical steps are being taken to reduce poverty, ensure employment for the population, and turn districts into territories free from unemployment. It is gratifying that such good undertakings are becoming more and more large-scale in “Rabotiqalmoq” mahalla.

Ikrom Avvalboyev, UzA