ТASHKENT, December 4. /Dunyo IA/. An extraordinary session of the Syrdarya Regional Council of People’s Deputies was held, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to the press service of the Head of our State, the event was attended by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev

At the beginning of the meeting, the Head of State emphasized that the large-scale changes taking place in Syrdarya region are the result of reforms carried out in accordance with the noble principle “For Human Honor and Dignity”.

“In the past, this land was tied solely to agriculture, but in recent years, industry, services, and tourism have developed here from scratch. The business environment has changed dramatically, and a class of advanced entrepreneurs has emerged”, - President noted.

Over the past eight years, $4 billion in investment has been attracted to Syrdarya region. During this period, 187 major production facilities were commissioned, and 120,000 new jobs were created. Production of nearly 50 new product types has been launched. As a result, industrial output has increased from 4 trillion to 25 trillion UZS.

It was noted that the cities of Gulistan and Yangiyer, as well as the Bayaut, Mirzaabad, Saykhunabad, Syrdarya, and Khavas districts, which previously relied on subsidies, have now reached the level of self-financing.

Next year, a $122 million project to produce automobiles will be launched in Syrdarya district in cooperation with Chinese partners. Recently, in collaboration with Kazakhstan, the Central Asian International Industrial Cooperation Center was inaugurated in this district. By the end of the first quarter of next year, 14 industrial enterprises with a total value of $300 million will begin operating on its territory, and in 2026, an additional 40 new projects totaling $720 million are planned to be launched.

The Head of State also touched upon the work carried out to increase the number of places in kindergartens, schools, and medical institutions, as well as efforts to improve electricity, water, sewage, and road infrastructure in Syrdarya. This year alone, $100 million was allocated to improving living conditions for the population. As a result, 47 schools, 45 kindergartens, 31 medical institutions, and 5 sports and cultural facilities were fully renovated and equipped with modern technology. It was announced that this work will continue, and an additional $100 million will be allocated for these purposes next year.

An organizational matter was also addressed during the session. The President nominated Erkin Turdimov, who had been serving as Acting Hokim, for the position of Hokim of Syrdarya region. After discussions with regional representatives, the nomination was put to a vote. Based on the results, Erkin Turdimov was approved as Hokim of Syrdarya region.

The Head of State outlined specific tasks for the region’s new leadership to develop Syrdarya. In particular, he emphasized the need to attract $3 billion in investment to the region over the coming years, increase export volumes to $500 million, and create 185,000 new jobs.

Issues related to the further development of industry, services, and agriculture in the region, as well as infrastructure improvements, were addressed at the meeting.

In recent years, 31 enterprises with a total value of $500 million have been commissioned in cooperation with Chinese investors, providing 5,000 residents with high-income jobs. Work is actively continuing with Chinese partners on an additional 40 projects worth $700 million.

By incorporating areas of the cities of Yangiyer, Gulistan, and Shirin, as well as Syrdarya, Bayaut, Gulistan, Mirzaabad, Oqoltin, and Khavas districts, the territory of the Syrdarya Free Industrial Zone has been expanded by 1,080 hectares. The hokims of the region and districts were instructed on the importance of launching projects worth at least $4 billion on these newly allocated lands.

To this end, instructions were given to thoroughly calculate the effectiveness of the projects, prepare their presentations for investors, and send a delegation, consisting of the hokims of Syrdarya, Bayaut, Gulistan, Mirzaabad, Oqoltin, and Khavas districts, as well as the cities of Yangiyer, Gulistan, and Shirin, to the People’s Republic of China.

A task was set to establish direct cooperation with China’s Jiangsu, Shandong, and Guangdong provinces in the field of construction materials, with the city of Tianjin in the chemical industry, with Fujian province and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in electrical engineering with the Shandong and Xinjiang regions in light industry, and with the city of Shanghai and Jiangxi province in the pharmaceutical sector.

Plans also include the creation of the “Uzbekistan – Shanghai Cooperation Organization” trade and industrial zone in the city of Gulistan, which will create no fewer than 5,000 jobs. Facilities in this zone will be offered to entrepreneurs as ready-made projects under industrial mortgage or leasing terms.

It was noted that as industrial enterprises are gradually relocated from the city of Tashkent, the available areas within the Syrdarya Free Economic Zone offer significant opportunities to accommodate existing capacities. In this regard, entrepreneurs intending to move their enterprises from the capital to Syrdarya region will be provided with land plots in the industrial zone through a simplified procedure and on preferential terms. They will receive concessional loans of up to 10 billion UZS, and reduced railway tariffs will apply to the transportation of raw materials.

Issues related to the development of entrepreneurship and service infrastructure were addressed at the meeting.

In 2026, it is planned to allocate 1.5 trillion UZS to improve regional infrastructure and 10 trillion UZS to implement entrepreneurial projects. Of this amount, 753 billion UZS will, for the first time, be placed at the disposal of Syrdarya’s regional and district budgets to improve conditions in mahallas.

President emphasized that to introduce new approaches and practical solutions in employment and poverty reduction, it is essential to study and apply practical experience continuously.

For these purposes, instructions were given to organize internships for the first deputy hokims of 11 districts at the International Poverty Reduction Center in Beijing, as well as to send 50 young residents of Syrdarya to Beijing for training courses in automobile maintenance.

In addition, it was instructed to establish a vocational training center at Gulistan University based on China’s “Lu Ban Workshop” program, and to create, in cooperation with China, a higher education institution specializing in pharmaceutical technologies at the medical technical school in Syrdarya district.

Special attention was also given to agricultural development.

Next year, construction will begin on the “Sultonhovuz” reservoir in Bayaut district, with a capacity of 100 million cubic meters. This will enable the harvest of crops twice a year on 110,000 hectares of land in Bayaut, Gulistan, Saykhunabad, Syrdarya, and Mirzaabad districts.

Special attention at the meeting was also paid to initiatives aimed at improving the population’s quality of life and creating better business conditions.

Instructions were given to begin reconstructing a 37-kilometer section of the A-373 highway passing through Saykhunabad and Gulistan districts, expanding it to six lanes. It is also planned to pave 67 kilometers of roads with concrete in 18 mahallas across Bayaut, Gulistan, Khavas, Mirzaabad, Syrdarya, and Saykhunabad districts.

Two days ago, 29 people were injured as a result of a gas cylinder explosion at a public catering establishment located on the territory of the clothing market in Taraqqiyot mahalla of the city of Gulistan.

Unfortunately, this tragic incident claimed lives. The President expressed his deep condolences to the families of the deceased. It was instructed that they be provided with 100 million UZS in financial assistance within three days.

“Today, together with you, we outlined major plans and tasks for the further development of the region, improving the quality of life of the population, and creating better conditions for entrepreneurs. Without any doubt, relying on the creativity, initiative, and dedication of the people of Syrdarya, we will certainly achieve these goals”, the President said at the conclusion of the meeting.

During the session, reports from responsible officials were heard, along with opinions and proposals from participants.

Thereupon, the Head of State concluded his visit to the region and returned to Tashkent.