Issues of reducing the state’s presence in the economy were discussed

On April 6, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation of proposals to reduce the state’s presence in the economy and accelerate privatization processes, the press service of the head of our state reports.

In recent years, our country has undertaken extensive work to develop the private sector and attract investment. Today, the state’s share of the economy stands at 42 percent, and the number of state-owned enterprises stands at 1,685. Specifically, last year, state assets worth nearly 30 trillion soums were privatized, generating budget revenues of over 10 trillion soums. Land sales have also steadily increased, reaching 6 trillion soums.

A system of material incentives for privatization has been introduced, leaving regions with 2.6 trillion soums, and mahallas with 7 billion soums. State-owned enterprises have paid 49 trillion soums in dividends to the budget. Overall, over the past five years, the number of state-owned enterprises has decreased by 60 percent as a result of privatization.

At the meeting, which was held in a critical spirit, it was noted that issues in the sector remain to be addressed.

Requirements for new owners to preserve jobs, implement modern technologies, and improve production efficiency must be strengthened. The number of inefficient state-owned enterprises reached 362 last year, requiring this work to be accelerated.

At the same time, the system for analyzing state-owned enterprises has not yet fully utilized modern digital tools and artificial intelligence capabilities. In 2024, 451 enterprises with difficult financial situations incurred losses totaling 14 trillion soums, while last year, 362 enterprises suffered losses totaling 4 trillion soums. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an in-depth analysis of state-owned enterprises, implement a new mechanism for assessing their financial stability, and improve the early detection of problems.

An analytical approach has not yet been sufficiently applied in the privatization process. Therefore, it was decided to structure this work on a sector-by-sector basis: analyzing each sector separately, assessing its socioeconomic impact, studying the competitive environment, and developing proposals based on this.

Special attention was given to the rational use of state property in the regions and the integration of vacant space into economic circulation. To this end, it was proposed to gradually implement a unified management system for such facilities and reduce the average floor area per employee from 27 to 12-15 square meters. This will allow 4.9 million square meters of space to be brought into economic circulation, vacant buildings to be put up for sale and leased, and maintenance and utility costs to be reduced.

The meeting also focused on the issue of land plots allocated to entrepreneurs but not yet integrated into economic circulation. Specifically, it was noted that 3,100 hectares of the 11,400 hectares of land allocated in 2022-2025 have not yet been fully operationalized.

In this regard, the need for online monitoring of the actual condition of land plots, auctioning them based on completed projects, and strengthening the criteria for participation in investment projects was emphasized. To this end, it was proposed to implement a system for effectively identifying unused land by integrating information systems such as E-auksion, Yerelectron, the Uzbekcosmos Agency systems, Shaffof qurilish, and UzKAD. It was instructed to strengthen the role of local khokimiyats in integrating such land into economic circulation.

It was determined that from now on, land plots for entrepreneurial purposes will be auctioned as a ready-made business project, along with all necessary permits.

A report was also given on the progress of preparatory work for the privatization of major assets, specifically UzAuto Motors and its subsidiaries, as well as Navoi Azot and thermal power plants.

It was proposed to establish a digital technology project office within the State Assets Management Agency. This system will include online monitoring of all privatization processes and the introduction of artificial intelligence elements into the financial analysis of state-owned enterprises and revenue distribution processes.

The head of state instructed officials to further reduce the state’s presence in the economy, efficiently use assets, and accelerate privatization processes based on modern approaches.