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11Strategy of Uzbekistan №03 (2020) / ISSN 2181-2535 Journal home page: https://journal.strategy.uz
ANALYSIS
THE SHORTEST WAY TO PROGRESS _
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We can hope that in the coming years Uzbekistan will enter the list of fifty most advanced countries in the world in terms of business
environment.
Today, carrying out large-scale reforms, Uzbekistan has set itself the main goal to take a place amongst the developed strong states.
In his Address to the Oliy Majlis on January 24, 2020, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to master digital
knowledge and modern information technologies in order to achieve progress, providing an opportunity to move along the shortest path towards this progress, since today information technologies penetrate all spheres of life. The formation of a digital economy requires the necessary infrastructure,
considerable financial and labor resources. But no matter how difficult it is, the work should start today, so an active transition to the digital economy will become one of the priorities in the future. After all, digital technologies improve the quality of products and services and reduce unnecessary costs. However, one
of the worst illusions is that it is also an effective remedy against the corruption boom.
The announcement of 2020 as the Year of Development of Science, Education and the Digital Economy, as well as development of its roadmap, play a significant role in implementation of the aforementioned priority areas. Since the
challenge of transition to the digital economy was set as a firm commitment it was not only welcomed by the international expert community, but also demonstrated an extremely timely decision in the context of the current pandemic. Therefore, we can hope that in the coming years Uzbekistan will enter the list of fifty most advanced countries in the world in terms of business environment.
The transition to a digital economy in the country is a priority goal, which, in turn, is closely related to the development of science and education. Consequently, nowadays, in an age of rapid development, the digital economy is widely introduced into all sectors of the economy of developed countries. We even bear witness to some countries switching to active use of artificial intelligence.
According to the analysis of reputable international organizations, the digital economy will contribute to an increase in gross
domestic product by at least 30 percent, which, in turn, will eliminate the gray economy and dramatically reduce corruption. As you can see, this area will become a serious impetus for the intensive development of all industries in Uzbekistan, significantly increase the living standards of people.
As one of the priority goals in ensuring the realization of the State Program on implementation of the Action Strategy in the «Year of the Development of Science, Education and the Digital Economy», the task was set to connect social facilities to the broadband Internet - 80 percent of general education schools and 100 percent of preschool education and healthcare institutions -by the end of the year.
In turn, this is important, because it provides the opportunities for younger generation to get а modern knowledge, and increases the capacity
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to provide quick and quality care to patients.
There are being implemented major projects for development of telecommunication infrastructure. To date, 490 thousand ports have been installed for broadband Internet access and the total number of them has reached 2.5 million. In addition, about 9 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines were laid.
The capacity of the data transmission network has doubled at the level of regional centers and increased 4 times at district centers level. In order to expand the service coverage area, 1,375 mobile base stations were installed, their total number has reached 27.4 thousand, the coverage in settlements was brought to 97% and high-speed connection coverage - to 78%. In order to meet the needs of the population in broadband mobile services, the Uzmobile branch of Uzbektelecom has upgraded more than 1,000 base stations.
The $11 million worth plant for manufacturing fiber-optic cable products with a capacity of 50 thousand kilometers per year has been launched in Jizzakh free economic activity zone, jointly with South Korean partners.
To this day, owing to the work on development of telecommunication networks, 60 percent out of the existing 19 341 social facilities, including 5 659 public education facilities (56 percent), 3 723 preschool educational institutions (65 percent) and 2,213 health care facilities (63 percent) are provided with access to high-speed Internet using fiber-optic communication lines.
In order to further develop the telecommunications infrastructure by the end of the year, it is planned to implement projects amounting to a total $153.7 million. To this day, the task of expanding 2G mobile networks providing telephone services has mainly been completed, and currently the
projects to increase network coverage are aimed at expanding 3G / 4G networks. In particular, it is planned to install 2,200 3G / 4G base stations this year. In addition, the tariffs for telecommunications services are being reduced. During 2019, tariffs for connecting to an external channel for providers and operators decreased by 17 percent per 1 Mbps, since January 1, 2020, tariffs for Internet services for operators and providers decreased by 34 percent compared to the same period of last year.
There is paid great attention in the country to implementation of the most advanced technological developments in the field of ICT. This is evidenced by the fact that since September 2019, two local mobile operators - Uzmobile and Ucell began testing 5G technology.
Interaction of citizens with government bodies through an electronic platform, i.e., provision of electronic
services and electronic products by the state to its citizens, is an integral part of the digital economy. For this purpose, there is functioning Unified Interactive State Services Portal (https:// my.gov.uz). Today, more than 200 types of electronic government services are being provided through this portal. Since the beginning of the year, 1.4 million requests have been received for them, which is 8.1 percent more than in the same period of the last year. By the end of the year, the scope of services will exceed 230 types. In
particular, it is planned to introduce archival reference services for the registration of real estate lease agreements, permanent registration of citizens in the city of Tashkent and the Tashkent region, confirmation of work experience, as well as improving services for obtaining an architectural and planning assignment, registering a cadastral passport, obtaining government subsidies for mortgage loans.
One of the important factors for consistent development of information and communication technologies is
the creation of favorable conditions for development of competitive products and services in the industry, their promotion in the domestic and foreign markets, and stimulation of innovative solutions.
Today, more than four thousand specialists work in 400 organizations that are residents of the Software Products and Information Technologies park, created for this purpose. 14 such organizations were created with the participation of foreign capital, 54 are newly-created.
Since the beginning
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of the year, residents of the IT park have created more than 560 new jobs, the value of the created software products and the services provided made 346.2 billion soums, in particular, export turnover amounted to 6.1 million US dollars.
In order to increase the number of residents of the IT park and create sufficient conditions in the city of Tashkent, in collaboration with the invited expert, there has been developed a concept for the construction of IT park
infrastructure facilities on a total area of 408 thousand square meters, and the construction works are underway. There are signed joint resolutions with local khokimiyats on organization of territorial branches of the IT-park, the roadmaps of the tasks to be performed on each project are approved.
The buildings of the IT park territorial branches were commissioned in the Andijan (Technopark «Digital City»), Fergana (Margilan branch of the IT park), Syrdarya
(Gulistan branch of the IT park) regions, 10 residents are working in the Andijan branch and 7 residents - in the Margilan branch. Also the relevant work is being carried out on construction of the IT park branches in Namangan, Nukus, Samarkand, Urgench, Jizzak and Bukhara.
The greatest achievement of digital technologies is the opportunity to dramatically increase economic efficiency by saving organizational costs and financial
expenditures. Currently, digital technologies are widely used in various fields and industries. Agriculture is one of the highest priority sectors for our country. Currently, great positive changes are taking place in this area.
Currently, proposals are being studied for a project to create a geo-information center on the territory of the republic for receiving and processing space images made by foreign companies from Earth remote sensing satellites. This project will also cover the transfer of geoinformation technologies and the training of local specialists at international level. This ensures the efficiency of work in geodetic, cartographic and cadastral areas, to prevent illegal buildings by receiving and processing satellite images.
In Andijan, a pilot project called «Monterra» is being implemented on the basis of the recently opened branch of the IT-park - «Digital City».
The purpose of this project is an objective assessment of the state of agricultural cultivated areas using artificial intelligence technologies (based on the results of the analysis of satellite imagery).
At the meeting on the issues related to land registration and full formation of the state cadastre, introduction of digital technologies in the field held in July this year under the chairmanship of the head of state, a number of tasks were set for the Ministry for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications. In particular, at the meeting, the cadastral departments were tasked with keeping land records in land register and balance, and by the end of the year launch an information system that collects information on types, contours, boundaries and users of lands.
Now the decision on the allocation of land plot is considered valid only after the introduction into this system. There
have been given an instruction to create a system for leasing satellite channels and signal processing. This is used in the analysis of fertility by comparing space drawings over the years, in the systematic study of land reclamation.
Until the end of the year, the ministry will closely cooperate with other responsible organizations and departments on implementation of the procedure for allocating farmlands on the basis of an electronic tender and auction, the timely implementation of work to optimize land categories with the involvement of international experts.
The effective implementation of these tasks will undoubtedly have a significant positive impact on the socio-economic development of the republic, will serve in mastering new aspects of modern development.
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