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🇺🇿 Uzbekistan /Economy & Trade

Uzbekistan to Relocate Government Agencies to Single Administrative Centers

From Gazeta.uz · (5m ago) English Positive tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Uzbekistan plans to consolidate government agencies into single administrative centers in 26 districts and cities.
  • The initiative aims to save energy resources, reduce costs, and free up space for businesses.
  • President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed officials to develop a five-year program for nationwide implementation and reduce average office space per employee.

Gazeta.uz, an Uzbek online publication, reports on President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's directive to consolidate government agencies into unified administrative centers across the country. The article frames this move as a significant step towards optimizing state functions, enhancing efficiency, and fostering economic growth.

government institutions in many districts occupy large portions of central streets and high-traffic areas.

— Shavkat MirziyoyevThe President stated this at a meeting on April 24, explaining the rationale behind relocating government agencies to single administrative centers.

The Uzbek perspective presented here emphasizes the practical benefits of this consolidation. By centralizing government offices, Uzbekistan anticipates substantial savings in energy consumption—estimated at 1.8 billion kWh of electricity and 340 million cubic meters of gas annually. Furthermore, the initiative is designed to streamline operations, reduce bureaucratic overhead, and crucially, repurpose vacated government buildings and land for private business activities, thereby stimulating entrepreneurship.

President Mirziyoyev's criticism of local governors (hokims) for their lack of initiative highlights a push for greater accountability and proactive governance. The article underscores the president's vision for a more modern, efficient state apparatus, aligning with broader goals of economic liberalization and privatization. The target of freeing up 5 million square meters for business activity signals a clear intent to reduce the state's footprint in the economy and encourage private sector development.

Based on the experience of Kukdala district in Kashkadarya region, the initiative is already being launched in 19 districts and cities, with expansion to 26 districts planned this year.

— Shavkat MirziyoyevThe President cited a successful pilot program as the basis for the nationwide rollout of the administrative center consolidation plan.

From an Uzbek standpoint, this policy reflects a commitment to modernization and attracting investment. The focus on reducing office space per employee, from an average of 27 to 12-15 square meters, is a tangible measure of this efficiency drive. Gazeta.uz presents this as a forward-looking reform, aimed at creating a more dynamic economic environment and improving the delivery of public services, showcasing Uzbekistan's efforts to reform and adapt in the post-Soviet era.

The optimization could save 1.8 billion kWh of electricity and 340 million cubic meters of gas annually across government institutions.

— Shavkat MirziyoyevThis figure highlights the significant potential energy savings anticipated from the consolidation initiative.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Gazeta.uz in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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