Ministry moves against businessman for criticizing construction sector

On August 29 of this year, during an open dialogue with entrepreneurs in the construction sector held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Usmonjon Abdusamadov, who introduced himself as the head of several construction companies, raised concerns that the cost of building a single house in Tashkent reaches up to $200,000, while in Tashkent region it can be as high as $100,000. He also urged officials to take measures against the unjustified rejection of applications.

’’We buy the land, and then we need to obtain a permit. When we submit an application for the permit, it gets rejected, unless we go directly to the office and greet them in person. This affects our future expenses. If the cost of constructing one house reaches $500,000, then $50,000 goes to one person, $100,000 to another, and $20,000 to someone else, who ends up sitting on that place. This issue must be resolved. The person who rejects an application must explain why it was rejected,’’ he said.

The entrepreneur also stated that in this process, expenses could reach up to $200,000 in Tashkent city and up to $100,000 in the Tashkent region.

Following Usmonjon Abdusamadov’s claims, the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services issued an official response. In its statement, the Ministry noted that the entrepreneur’s remark that the cost of building a single house in Tashkent can reach up to $200,000 had led to the spread of unsubstantiated information among the public.

’’The information in question has sparked various debates on social media. As a result, a negative attitude has been forming toward the reforms being carried out in the construction sector nationwide, as well as toward industry representatives and the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services. In turn, this is damaging the honor, dignity, and professional reputation of the Ministry and its employees,’’ the statement said.

According to the statement, the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services has submitted an official request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, seeking that appropriate measures be taken and a legal assessment be provided against citizen (entrepreneur) Usmonjon Abdusamadov.

’’All state services and payments related to the construction sector are carried out electronically in accordance with established procedures. The demand for additional payments in this process is strictly prohibited,’’ the Ministry emphasized.

It was noted that individuals and legal entities may apply for urban planning documents only through the Unified Interactive Public Services Portal (my.gov.uz) or via Public Service Centers. Direct interaction between applicants and representatives of authorized bodies is not permitted during the review of applications. In particular, all procedures, from obtaining construction permits to commissioning facilities, are fully monitored through the national information system ’’Transparent Construction.’’ These processes are strictly regulated under the administrative procedures approved by Resolution No. 200 of the Cabinet of Ministers, dated April 20, 2022.