President orders action against 20 district heads over mismanagement

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to take measures against district heads who have been misleading authorities and failing to address local issues effectively. The directive came during a video conference on November 19 reviewing poverty reduction and employment efforts, and setting priority tasks for the coming year.

The meeting highlighted serious shortcomings and misrepresentation by certain district heads in addressing employment issues. Twenty officials were specifically identified for corrective action, including the heads of Yashnobod, Bukhara, G‘ijduvon, Koson, Khatirchi, Qumqo‘rg‘on, Yangiyul, Uzbekistan, Guliston, Yakkabog‘, Andijan, Parkent, Tashkent, Nurobod, Uchtepa, Chortoq, Davlatobod, Oltinko‘l, Qiziriq, and Kogon districts.

It was noted that bankers were assigned to districts to help design and finance effective local projects. However, some district officials were criticized for allocating state resources to ineffective projects. Officials were instructed to visit neighborhoods, assess project efficiency, and strengthen oversight and discipline in the sector.

Since the beginning of the year, 261 officials have been dismissed for negligence in implementing poverty reduction and employment plans, while 492 others have faced disciplinary action.

“The most vulnerable families remain. To lift some 400,000 households out of poverty, regional and district first deputies, employment and bank managers, and local ‘mahalla leadership’ must change their approach and work methods,” the President said.

For the coming year, officials are tasked with reducing poverty and unemployment to below 4.5 percent. Additionally, 450 trillion soums in credit will be allocated to the economy, with 140 trillion soums designated for small and medium local projects.

Earlier in the same meeting, the heads and first deputies of Chiroqchi district in Kashkadarya and Denov district in Surkhandarya were dismissed for poor performance.