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Strategy of Uzbekistan №04 (2020) / ISSN 2181-2535 Journal home page: https://journal.strategy.uz
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GOVERNANCE REFORMS SHOULD SERVE THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE
Shuhrat DEHQONOV,
political scientist
It is well known from international experience and practice that the consistent development of each state and its place among the world's developed countries is closely linked with the radical reform of public administration.
Uzbekistan is also undergoing a series of active reforms to increase the efficiency of public administration and governing bodies. And it is not a coincidence that these
updates are identified as the first direction of the Action Strategy for the five priority areas of development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021.
Therefore, it can be seen that the systematic efforts continued over the past four years to improve the system of state and society building is precisely aimed at the goals of vital expression of the idea that «not people should serve government agencies, but government agencies should serve people.».
In particular, according to the concept of administrative reform in the Republic of Uzbekistan, radical reform of the public administration system is carried out based on six main directions:
the first direction improvement the institutional and organizational, and legal framework for the activities of executive bodies;
the second direction
definition of tasks of executive bodies, mechanisms of their realization, and areas of their responsibility;
the third direction reduction of administrative influence on branches of economy and expansion of market mechanisms of management;
the fourth direction - improvement of the vertical management system and the means of cooperation between the executive authorities;
the fifth direction introduction of modern forms of strategic planning, innovative ideas, developments, and technologies in the system of public administration;
the sixth direction formation of an effective method of professional civil service and the establishment of effective mechanisms to combat corruption.
If we look at the work done so far, several
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normative and legal documents have been adopted on the priorities of improving the system of state and society building, measures have been taken to address the problems accumulated over the years. In turn, in terms of quality and content, a completely new system of direct communication with the people, the practical, rapid solution of people's problems has been created. In other words, there have been launched the activities of the Virtual and People's Receptions of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. These structures are designed to ensure the interests of the people, to identify and address the concerns, vital problems, and needs of the people, as well as to increase the efficiency of public authorities, mechanisms for in-depth analysis of local issues, and the accountability of government agencies and officials, and has become a criterion for evaluating their performance.
Also, to further strengthen the legal framework of dealing with appeals, the
Law «On appeals of individuals and legal entities» was adopted in a new edition. A new version of the virtual reception of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan with additional facilities has been developed.
The establishing of the procedure of approval of the candidacies of deputy prime ministers, ministers, and chairmen of state committees by the Legislative Chamber on the nomination of the Prime Minister and the appointment by the President provides a practical expression of the «checks and balances» principle, which is considered to be a world standard. Also, a practice has been approved, according to which a candidate for the Government must address deputies with a short-term and long-
term action plan for the development of the industry, the chambers of deputies of the Oliy Majlis, their committees regularly hear the corresponding Councils approve information from a member of Government on the issues related to practical implementation of his action plan, heads of state bodies of a region, district, city of People's Deputies.
It has become a tradition in the Legislative Chamber to hold a «Government Hour» to hear government officials' information. The State Budget Department was established in the lower house to provide professional, independent, and impartial information-analytical and expert services to deputies and senators on the
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state budget, economy, monetary policy, as well as ensuring effective parliamentary control over the implementation of the state budget.
To strengthen cooperation between the parliament and the executive branch, the post of the permanent representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the chambers of the Oliy Majlis was established, and its legal status was determined. The role of local Councils of People's Deputies in solving pressing local issues has been increased. The system of hearing the reports of local authorities' heads has been established famously.
To ensure local governments' participation in decision-making at the national level, there is introduced the procedure for agreeing with the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regional and Tashkent city khokimiyats on draft socio-economic development of regions and local programs through amendments and additions to the Government Regulations.
In turn, senators working permanently in the Senate were attached as responsible officials to local councils of the regions.
Most importantly, an innovative approach has been introduced to the public service delivery system. Great strides have been made in radically reforming the bureaucratic red tape and confusion of citizens. Previously, citizens suffered from various informal payments and corruption, but such problems are being curtailed due to the reduction of the human factor in providing public services. In particular, the Agency for Public Services under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan and its territorial divisions have been established as an independent state body responsible for implementing state policy in this area. Also, the single centers for the provision of public services to businesses on the principle of «single window» were transformed into shared service centers operating under the People's
Receptions of the President in the districts (cities).
It is noteworthy that providing services through the principle of «single window» has been established not only for businesses but also for citizens. In 2018, the Republican Centers for Public Services launched 37 services; in 2019 - 130 types of services, and in 2020 this figure reached 143.
Also, 94 government agencies and departments were integrated into the newly created «Online Consultant» module, 24 public services were transferred to electronic form, and the number of services reached 157. Individuals and legal entities now can receive public services on an extraterritorial basis, i.e., in any part of the country, regardless of the place of residence of citizens and the postal address of legal entities.
In his regular Address to the Oliy Majlis on December 29, 2020, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that the ongoing reforms are directly reflected in the people's daily lives. The achievement
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of the expected results depends on public administration's efficiency and pointed out that in 2021 the activities in this area will continue systematically.
The statement put forward concrete and large-scale initiatives to radically modernize the system of public administration in today's fast-paced world and accelerate the process
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of further improving local governments' activities, improving the institutional framework of local executive and representative bodies and mahalla offices.
Next year, it is planned to optimize the number of public administration employees to an average of 15% due to the widespread introduction of digital technologies. By the end of 2021, the number of e-government services will be increased to 60, bringing the total to 300, and the share of remote services will reach at least 60 percent.
In turn, at least 10% of additional resources to the district budget will be allocated to directly work on the population's views and the solution of problems in the neighborhood. These measures will undoubtedly make it possible to create a public administration system that can identify and effectively address issues in the field of socio-economic development promptly, in line with global trends in innovative development. And as a result of the broader introduction
of modern information and communication technologies in providing public services to the population, the human factor is reduced, which plays a vital role in preventing corruption.
Simultaneously, radical improvement of the structure of public administration, reduction of the number of employees by an average of 15%, and a clear definition of the limits of authority of managers at each level of Government will reduce duplication and irrelevant state functions.
According to the Address, to increase the district, city, and mahalla systems' efficiency in the coming year, the number and salary of employees will be determined based on the region's specifics and the volume of work. This initiative will contribute to the formation of decent and equitable remuneration mechanisms for local government and community officials. Besides, each village or neighborhood will be developed based on its direction and «growth points.»
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For this purpose, a regional infrastructure development fund worth 3 trillion soums will be established. The funds will be used to cofinance infrastructure projects based on proposals from local councils. This, in turn, will serve to modernize the local infrastructure and increase the welfare of the population.
Another important aspect is that from 2021, each ministry, department, and organization will plan
and organize its work at the district, city, village, and neighborhood levels. Based on this, ministers and their deputies' activities will be evaluated according to what changes have taken place in practice on the ground. From now on, officials will be required to study the population's problems on the spot and solve them.
Each district and city mayor will develop a targeted program to reduce poverty in their area. The practice
of reporting on its implementation to the population quarterly in local councils and through the media will be established. It is envisaged that this issue will become the primary task of all leaders and the main criterion for assessing the effectiveness of work to improve the population's living standards.
One of the Ministry of Justice's main tasks and its territorial departments and divisions will be to
deliver, explain, facilitate, and monitor the adopted documents' implementation in practice.
The Address recommends that the Legislative Chamber and the Senate, together with the Cabinet of Ministers, develop new draft laws to improve local executive and representative bodies and the mahalla institution, which is an essential step towards legal resolving the accumulated conflicting issues in this sphere.
In the appeal, particular views were expressed on the radical improvement of the activities of mahalla offices. In particular, the powers of the chairman and deputies of the mahalla will be further expanded, allowing them to address the population's problems directly. For this purpose, the chairman of the mahalla will have the right to include issues that must be considered at a local council meeting, a system of recommendation of qualified and enterprising staff working in the mahalla for leadership positions in government agencies
will be established.
Also, the uncompromising fight against corruption will be continued. The Ministry of Finance will implement publishing information on revenues and expenditures of government agencies' extra-budgetary funds, procurements of state-owned enterprises, government subsidies, and grants. In turn, an electronic information system will be created to record and publish local government bodies' decisions to ensure openness and transparency in governors' decision-making process. Simultaneously, one of the most effective means of preventing corruption is an available selection and recruitment system. The old personnel selection methods will be abandoned, and an open and transparent selection system will be introduced to assess their intellectual potential and spiritual qualities.
The Address also noted the establishment of the Republican Women's Public Council to strengthen women's role and
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status in Government and society, increase their prestige in the community, and create new opportunities. Naturally, this council will play an essential role in helping more than 17 million women living in Uzbekistan to realize their potential, start their businesses, acquire a profession and higher education, work in relevant agencies and hold leadership positions.
In conclusion, the process of modernization of the public administration system will also be an essential factor in ensuring the effectiveness of reforms in all other areas. Ultimately, the achievements and successes will lay the foundation for a new revival in Uzbekistan -the Third Renaissance.
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