Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation outlining new measures to promote employment and reduce poverty.

This year, plans aim to employ 5.2 million citizens and lift 1.5 million people out of poverty. For the first time, 60 districts and cities will be declared poverty- and unemployment-free zones.

In collaboration with mahalla bankers, permanent employment will be secured for 1.5 million individuals, while over 2 million citizens will be involved in business activities. To support these initiatives, 120 trillion soums in credit funds will be allocated for small business projects this year.

The implementation of 32 innovative approaches will draw on international best practices. For instance, solar power plants with a total capacity of 107 megawatts will be built in 300 challenging mahallas, employing members of low-income families through cooperative models.

In 123 districts, low-income residents will be offered jobs creating forests and nurseries on 20,000 hectares and cultivating medicinal plants. Workers will receive a subsidy of 375,000 soums for every 100 trees planted.

Areas with tourism potential will see the development of guesthouses, food service points, and e-commerce centers at selected postal offices, creating jobs for underprivileged families.

Overall, in 2025, projects based on these new approaches will be implemented in 6,472 mahallas, helping 210,000 people rise out of poverty.

Special attention will be given to remote villages with particularly challenging conditions. In these areas, the Uzbekistan Mahalla Association will foster entrepreneurial spirit, reduce dependency, and encourage active participation from low-income families.

President Mirziyoyev emphasized that 2025 will be a decisive year for addressing unemployment and poverty, instructing a systematic and targeted implementation of the proposed measures.

The Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction has been tasked with closely monitoring these efforts. All initiatives will be recorded on an electronic platform, ensuring job creation is verified through the tax system.

The importance of training local government officials and members of the "mahalla seven" in best practices was also highlighted.