29/07/2020 - 11:22 4720

By the Presidential Decree of 20 April 2017, PD-2910, "On the Programme for the Comprehensive Development and Modernization of Drinking Water Supply and Sewerage Systems for 2017-2021", the Fund for the Development of Water Supply and Sewerage Systems was established under the Ministry of Finance (hereinafter- the Fund). This has been done in order to create guaranteed sources of financing for the radical improvement of the water supply system, the modernization and further expansion of the network of water intakes, water pipes, pumping stations, distribution points and water distribution networks, also in connection with the increase in the population of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the construction of new housing estates and the expansion of towns and settlements.

Fund's sources of income:

Contributions from the State budget corresponding to the water tax revenues;

Earmarked budget allocations;

Soft loans from international financial organizations;

Grants from international donors, funds from philanthropists;

Funds from the budgets of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the regions and Tashkent city;

Income from the placement of temporary unencumbered funds and all other income not prohibited by law.

The main objectives of the fund are to organize the timely financing of approved programmes for the improvement of drinking water supply and sanitation systems, as well proposals preparations on the amounts and sources of funds needed for the formation of investment programmes.

Notably, every year the Ministry of Housing and Public Utilities studies regions with relatively low levels of centralized drinking water supply and draws up a list of projects; to be implemented in the coming years in coordination with the commissions of local khokimiyats for the improvement of water supply and drainage systems.

The fund implemented a number of activities in 2019 and approved a work plan for 2020. Including the following:

1. Under the Investment Programme 2019 approved by the Presidential Decision of 19 December 2018, PD-4067, 1.1 trillion sums were allocated from the Fund for the improvement of drinking water supply and drainage systems. In addition, pursuant to the instructions of the Head of State during his visits to the regions in 2018-2019, and to the resolutions and orders of the Cabinet of Ministers last year, an additional amount of 635 billion sum was sent.

As of 1 January 2020, the fund had allocated 1,664 billion sum for the actual construction and installation work. Under the Investment Programme for 2019,477 drinking-water facilities and 8 water-supply facilities, 4,681 km of piped water and 215 km of wastewater piped have been constructed and renovated in 150 localities and in 165 under the "Obod Kishloq" and "Obod Mahalla" programmes.

As a result, by 1 January 2020, the level of drinking water supply to the population of the Republic of Uzbekistan had increased from 68 % to 70 %.

2. In accordance with the Investment Programme 2020, approved by the Presidential Decree of 10 January 2020, PD-4565, the Fund sent 1,277 billion sum for the construction and reconstruction of 3,400 km of drinking water supply and drainage networks and 120 water structures at 216 sites. It is also planned to allocate 78 billion sum to finance Uzbekistan’s share in investment projects with the participation of international financial institutions.

With these funds, this year’s central water supply coverage will be increased by more than 650,000 people - up to 72 % of the population – and it will provide more than 75,000 citizens with wastewater treatment services.

In addition, by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated on 19 March 2020, PD-5969 "On priority measures to mitigate the negative impact on the economic sectors of the coronavirus pandemic and global crises" additional 500 billion sum has been allocated for works to improve water supply and drainage systems. Of these funds, 145 billion sum have now been allocated from the Anti-crisis Fund of the Ministry of Finance for 59 projects to be implemented, in accordance with the relevant instructions of the Government.

It should be noted that, for the first time in the history of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the investment programmes for 2019-2020 include large projects funded from the State budget in the Kashkadarya and Djizak regions. Particularly, to provide the inhabitants of the Dekhkanabad district of Kashkadarya region with the quality drinking water that the population has been dreaming of for many years, a 77-kilometre-long "Oksuv-Dekhkanabad" water pipeline and "Oksuv" water intake project are being implemented. The total value is 205 billion sum, of which 151 billion sum have already been committed. Construction and installation work is being actively carried out on the site. The project will provide clean drinking water to more than 106,000 residents of the district centre and 15 rural settlements.

Besides, pursuant to a Presidential Decision of 4 May 2018, PD-3695 is implementing a project entitled "Improvement of the drinking water supply system in Djizak region through the utilising of the Zarafshan River". It is aimed to cover more than 500 thousand residents of Bakhmal, Gallaaral, Sharaf-Rashidov, Pakhtakor, Dustlik, Mirzachul districts and the city of Jizzakh with high-quality centralized water supply. Its total is 457 billion sums, of which 173 billion sums have been disbursed.so far. Construction and installation work is also underway at the present time.

Information Service of the

Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction,
Ministry of Finance