BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
Uzbekistan is planning the budget for 2021 taking into account the COVID-19 pandemic and the decline in economic activity at the global level, Trend reports referring to the press service of the head of Uzbekistan.
A video conference was held chaired by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on discussions of the parameters of the state budget for 2021, considering the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Measures to ensure macroeconomic stability and the forecast level of budget revenues were discussed at the meeting. This requires achieving economic growth of at least 5.1 percent in 2021, including 5.8 percent in industry and 6.5 percent in services and construction.
An additional reserve for budget revenues can be the reduction of the shadow economy and the legalization of 600,000 jobs, the integration of databases of 53 departments, and the expansion of the list of products subject to labeling.
It is also planned to increase production at large enterprises by ensuring the receipt of an additional 500 billion soums ($48.2 million) of excise tax in the budget as a result of the full satisfaction of the needs of the economy and the population in natural gas, as well as streamlining payments in this area.
The Ministry of Transport was instructed to bring budget revenues to the 2019 indicators next year by resuming flights and opening new routes.
More than three trillion soums ($289 million) of subsidies are planned to be allocated within the framework of entrepreneurship support programs. In addition, 250 billion soums ($24.1 million) are planned to be directed to the Employment Promotion Fund and the same amount to the Public Works Fund.
It was noted at the meeting that plan is to reduce the number of low-income citizens by creating new jobs and encouraging entrepreneurship.
About 20 trillion soums ($1.93 billion) are expected to be allocated to the healthcare sector, including 3 trillion soums ($289 million) for measures to combat coronavirus and 1.8 trillion ($174 million) for the purchase of medicines.
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