International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
7
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue01 2025
PAGE NO.
7-10
10.37547/ijhps/Volume05Issue02-02
The people should not serve government institutions;
government institutions should serve the people
Ahmadova Zebiniso Shavkatovna
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in History, Associate Professor at Bukhara Innovation University, Uzbekistan
Received:
07 December 2024;
Accepted:
09 January 2025;
Published:
11 February 2025
Abstract:
The ongoing reforms aimed at involving the private sector in the execution of state functions play a
significant role in ensuring the effectiveness of state authority and governance bodies.
In particular, as part of the Administrative Reforms Concept adopted in 2017 in the Republic of Uzbekistan, six
priority directions for a comprehensive reform of the state management system were defined, and
—
based on a
special “Roadmap”—
the activities of more than 100 state and economic management bodies were scheduled for
review. The material and technical provisions of local governments, along with the wage payment system for their
employees, were revised, thereby ensuring the practical independence of local bodies in the formation and
management of local budgets.
Keywords:
Business, project, education, economic management, Cabinet of Ministers, socio-economic,
extraterritorial principle.
Introduction:
Furthermore, in 2017
—
and with the aim
of effectively addressing the accumulated problems in
the relevant sectors
—
agencies for housing and
communal services, preschool education, and the
Ministry of Foreign Trade; the State Committee for
Tourism Development; and the National Agency for
Project Management were established. The Cabinet of
the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the
executive structure of the Government apparatus were
revised and improved. While the functions and
responsibilities of 18 ministries and agencies were
enhanced and 24 state and economic management
bodies and other organizations were restructured, in
2018, 93 state management bodies were reformed
—
with 77 ministries and agencies being reorganized, 7
abolished, and 9 newly established.
In 2019, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
issued the Decree on Priority Measures to Increase the
Responsibility of the Cabinet of Ministers of the
Republic
of
Uzbekistan
for
the
Effective
Implementation of Strategic Tasks for the Socio-
Economic Development of the Country and the
Resolution on the Introduction of a Qualitatively New
System for Organizing the Work of the Government of
Uzbekistan. In accordance with these documents, the
main directions for improving the efficiency of the
Cabinet of Ministers were established. The practice of
Deputy Prime Ministers simultaneously heading joint-
stock
companies,
corporations,
and
other
organizations with state participation was abolished,
and their number was optimized.
As a result of administrative reforms in the governance
system, the number of districts (cities) increased from
193 in 2016 to 207 in 2021. Today, within the structure
of the Cabinet of Ministers, there are 24 ministries, 9
state committees, 4 state inspections, 14 agencies, 5
committees, 6 centers, 2 central institutions, 4
inspections, 9 associations, 10 banks, 23 companies, 6
unions, 1 fund, and more than 10 other organizations,
with over 100 subordinate institutions operating under
them.
One of the key structural reforms in the sector was the
establishment of the State Services Agency under the
Ministry of Justice and its regional branches on
December 12, 2017. As a result, 205 State Services
Centers were launched across the country, with over
100 branches in remote areas. Additionally, 157 types
of state services became available regardless of the
citizen’s
place of residence, based on the
extraterritorial principle. This reform significantly
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
8
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
reduced the number of required documents and the
service processing time, while also improving the
quality and efficiency of public services.
In 2017, more than 120,000 state services were
provided to entrepreneurs. Today, over 26 million
requests from individuals and legal entities for state
services have been processed. More than 110
legislative acts related to the provision of state services
have been developed, and over 70 services have been
simplified. Additionally, around 80 administrative
regulations governing state services have been
adopted. As a result, the number of required
documents was reduced from 167 to 79, and the
service processing time was shortened from 499 days
to 271 days. Furthermore, 254 state services are now
accessible through the my.gov.uz portal.
At the same time, procedures for registering business
entities, requirements for authorized capital, and
regulations regarding enterprises with foreign
investment participation have been optimized.
As a result of these efforts, Uzbekistan ranked 8th
among 190 countries in the World Bank’s “Doing
Business” ranking in the “business registration”
indicator.
A new stage was introduced in the training and
recruitment of public service personnel. To separate
state governance from economic functions and
enhance the efficiency of public service, the Agency for
the Development of Public Service under the President
of the Republic of Uzbekistan was established by
Presidential Decree on October 3, 2019.
In the field of public administration, effective
cooperation between state and civil society
organizations has been established as a means to foster
a free civil society. The President's Public and Virtual
Reception Offices, civil society institutions, non-
governmental
non-profit
organizations,
public
oversight institutions, and public councils under
government agencies play a crucial role in this process.
Since 2017, the Public Reception Offices and Virtual
Reception Offices of the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan, operating in all regions, have facilitated
direct communication with the population, enabling
the prompt resolution of local issues, elimination of
shortcomings, and protection of the rights and
interests of individuals and legal entities.
For example, in 2017 alone, more than 1.4 million
appeals were received from individuals and legal
entities through the Virtual and Public Reception
Offices. Since 2019, the President’s Public Reception
Offices have transitioned to an active system of
identifying and resolving issues through door-to-door
visits. In 2020, nearly 1.2 million appeals were
submitted to the President’s Virtual and Public
Reception Offices. As a result of reports and
information submitted b
y the President’s Public
Reception Offices, 752 officials who failed to properly
address citizens' appeals were held accountable.
The Public Reception Offices have been granted the
authority to examine the activities of state bodies,
submit proposals, and recommend disciplinary
measures up to the dismissal of officials found guilty of
legal violations.
As part of the Action Strategy, Uzbekistan has been
implementing consistent measures to ensure freedom
of speech and information, as well as to establish the
institutional and legal foundations for the development
of the information and mass communication sector.
In particular, systematic efforts have been made to:
•
Improve the interaction between press
services of state bodies and other organizations with
the public and mass media.
•
Enhance state support mechanisms in the
information sector.
•
Accelerate the development of the media
market.
•
Ensure transparency in the activities of state
bodies and organizations.
•
Establish a structured system for book and
print media production.
In his Address to the Oliy Majlis on January 24, 2020,
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev introduced the idea that
“Society is the initiator of reforms”, leading the
government to see civil society institutions as partners
in the reform process. This shift created greater
opportunities
for
non-governmental
non-profit
organizations (NGOs) to operate freely, while also
driving legislative changes and new initiatives to
strengthen their role in governance.
Currently, more than 9,200 non-governmental non-
profit organizations (NGOs) operate in Uzbekistan.
Thanks to the established legal framework, the free and
sustainable development of NGOs in the country has
significantly accelerated. For instance, as of January 1,
1991, there were only 95 NGOs in the republic, which
increased to 2,585 by 2000, 8,417 by 2016, and today,
the number has reached nearly 9,200.
The steady growth of NGOs has been directly
influenced by the implementation of various measures
aimed at enhancing their effectiveness. In particular,
over 200 regulatory and legal documents have been
adopted in this area, including nearly 20 in the past five
years, creating the necessary institutional framework
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
9
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
to support NGOs comprehensively. This demonstrates
that all organizational and legal mechanisms for the
expansion of NGO activities in Uzbekistan have been
developed and are being consistently strengthened.
The progressive growth of NGOs in Uzbekistan each
year further confirms this trend.
Additionally, as a result of reforms in this sector, the
Public Chamber under the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan was established to represent NGO interests
and act as a bridge between the state and civil society.
Moreover, to introduce new and effective means of
public dialogue, public councils have been formed
under state bodies.
As a result, NGOs have taken an active role in ensuring
transparency and openness in society, as well as in
strengthening public oversight over government
activities.
Notably, efforts to improve public administration have
continued systematically. In 2021, designated as the
"Year of Supporting Youth and Strengthening Public
Health," the State Program outlined several priority
tasks in this direction. Specifically, during the first half
of 2021, the following measures were planned for
implementation:
As part of the State Program, several key tasks were
outlined for implementation, including:
•
Strengthening cooperation between the
chambers of the Oliy Majlis and state governance and
local government bodies in the field of law-making and
law enforcement.
•
Hosting an international forum in Bukhara on
the theme "Global Interparliamentary Cooperation in
Achieving Sustainable Development Goals".
•
Fundamentally improving the activities of state
governance bodies.
•
Reforming the operations of mid- and lower-
level administrative bodies.
•
Enhancing the effectiveness of local executive
and representative bodies.
•
Establishing an effective and transparent
system for recruiting, training, and evaluating civil
servants.
•
Introducing a new system for monitoring the
implementation
of
presidential
decrees
and
assignments.
•
Developing a comprehensive system to
increase the role of women in society and public
administration.
•
Eliminating bureaucratic barriers for citizens
and entrepreneurs in their interactions with
government agencies.
•
Developing a gender equality strategy for
Uzbekistan until 2030.
State
Administration
Reforms
and
Digital
Transformation
Specifically, in Section 4 of the State Program, a number
of measures were defined to radically improve the
efficiency of government bodies, including:
•
Eliminating redundant institutions, functions,
bureaucratic obstacles, and excessive meetings in state
governance.
•
Expanding the use of digital technologies to
optimize work processes.
•
Optimizing the number of government
employees by up to 15%, ensuring strict compliance
with labor laws.
•
Implementing a system that enables ministries
to plan their activities at the district, city, village, and
mahalla levels.
As part of the implementation of these tasks, on April
3, 2021, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
signed a Decree on the Optimization of the Structure
and Staffing Levels of State Power and Administration
Bodies.
Under the Presidential Decree, by May 1, 2021, the
following structural optimizations were mandated:
•
Reducing the number of management
personnel in 52 state governance and administration
bodies, including their departmental and regional
branches, by up to 15%.
•
Cutting 40 out of 106 deputy positions in 26
ministries and agencies.
•
Eliminating at least one deputy position in the
governing bodies of state-owned enterprises where the
state holds 50% or more of shares.
•
Reducing the number of management
personnel in state-owned enterprises by 10%.
Further Governance Reforms
Due to timely reforms, several key provisions outlined
in the State Program for the first half of 2021 were
successfully implemented.
Notably, on March 23, 2021, the Presidential Decree on
Additional Measures to Create More Convenient
Conditions for Citizens and Entrepreneurs in Accessing
Public Services and Reducing Bureaucratic Barriers was
adopted. This decree ensured the implementation of
Clause 10 of the State Program for the "Year of
Supporting Youth and Strengthening Public Health",
aimed at significantly reducing bureaucratic obstacles
in interactions between citizens, businesses, and
government agencies.
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
10
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
On March 5, 2021, the Presidential Resolution on
Supporting Women and Enhancing Their Active
Participation in Society introduced a new stage in
ensuring women's rights and interests. This resolution
set forth a comprehensive framework to further
empower women and improve their role in public life
and governance.
Establishment of the Republican Women's Public
Council
The Republican Women's Public Council has been
established to increase the social and political activity
of women. The council's main responsibilities include:
•
Promoting awareness among the population
about the essence and significance of reforms aimed at
supporting women.
•
Helping
women
gain
education
and
professional skills.
•
Providing
comprehensive
assistance
in
securing decent employment opportunities.
•
Supporting women's entrepreneurship.
•
Identifying talented young women and guiding
their potential in the right direction.
•
Improving the quality of medical and social
services provided to women, especially in rural areas.
•
Enhancing efforts to promote a healthy
lifestyle among women.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, within the framework of the Action
Strategy, a significant part of the major reforms aimed
at improving state and public administration has
focused on:
•
Strengthening
mechanisms
of
people's
governance.
•
Ensuring the independence of government
branches.
•
Enhancing the role of Parliament.
•
Improving the public service system.
•
Ensuring transparency in local self-government
bodies.
•
Providing legal support and incentives for non-
governmental non-profit organizations (NGOs).
The ongoing reforms in these areas aim to increase
public satisfaction and contribute to Uzbekistan's
broader recognition on the international stage. This
reflects the correctness and effectiveness of the new
phase of reforms, as well as the pragmatic domestic
and foreign policies being pursued in the country.
REFERENCES
Presidential Decree of the Republic of Uzbekistan No.
PF-60, dated January 28, 2022, "On the Development
Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026".
Shaxriddinovna, R. O. (2023). "Issues of Social
Stratification in Uzbekistan Society." MASTERS, 1(1),
79-84.
Xaydarov, Z. U., Abdullayev, A. N., Yuldashev, J. A.,
Qambarov, A. B., Zaynobiddinova, N., Ataxanov, B. T.,
& Ismoilov, T. I. Editorial Board.
Malikov, T. S., & Olimjonov, O. (2018). "Finance."
Textbook. Tashkent: Iqtisod-Moliya.
Buriyevna, A. S. (2024). "The History of Development
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