Uzbekistan, Tashkent, April 18 / Trend D. Azizov /
The programme on individual housing construction in rural areas in Uzbekistan is part of the processes of democratic reforms and modernisation of the country.
Uzbek President Islam Karimov said this at the international conference 'Modern housing construction as an engine of complex development and transformation of the village, improving the quality of life of the population'.
The president stressed the importance of this sector not only to solve urgent social problems, but also as a factor contributing to sustainable growth rates associated with the development of industries and the economy.
"The historical experience of many countries confirms the fact that choosing housing and infrastructure as development priorities was the key instrument of restoring the national economy," Karimov said.
Before a comprehensive programme of rural housing construction was adopted, unauthorised construction flourished. There were serious problems in terms of ensuring public facilities and infrastructure in the houses built without a master plan, Karimov said.
"If one takes into account that at the present around 50 per cent of the population, or around 15 million people live in the rural areas of Uzbekistan, it is easy to imagine the scale and scope of the difficult problems that we face today in this area," he stressed.
According to the approved regulations, residential areas are being constructed in the villages together with improvements in engineering and communication, social and market infrastructure facilities such as roads, water, gas and electricity supply, schools, kindergartens, rural medical centres, shopping facilities and sports facilities and modern systems of telecommunications and the Internet, taking into account the population.
"There is a significant fact that a class of property owners is being created on a new basis," he said. "The village has greatly improved. The lifestyle, mind-set and mental outlook of citizens are changing. We are proud of a new generation of harmoniously developed, educated, independently-minded children growing up in new modern conditions and deprived of all the prejudices of the past, confident in their future."