President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the Chim mahalla in Qamashi district of Kashkadarya region on October 21, where he inspected infrastructure development and employment projects and met with local residents, according to the presidential press service. The neighborhood, which is being developed under the concept of a "neighborhood embodying the image of a New Uzbekistan," has a population of more than 5,500 people, nearly half of whom are young residents.
A total of UZS 55bn ($4.6mn) was allocated to modernize infrastructure in Chim mahalla. The funds were used to construct a kindergarten with a capacity of 240 children, a school accommodating 640 students, community and youth centers, and a public park. Additionally, 4.5 kilometers of roads were constructed, while electricity supply and irrigation networks were upgraded.
Source: Presidential Press Service
During his visit, Mirziyoyev met with children and their mothers at a playground in the neighborhood center. He also visited a youth library, where he spoke with young readers about their aspirations and future plans.
During the visit, which coincided with Uzbek Language Day on October 21, Mirziyoyev discussed the literary works of Uzbek poets Abdulla Oripov, Erkin Vohidov and Halima Xudoyberdiyeva. He also addressed the importance of the Uzbek language, national literature and the preservation of cultural heritage.
"Today, respect for our language, our nation, and our identity is steadily increasing. People are once again gravitating toward reading books. We are restoring the spiritual heritage left to us by our ancestors. A similar spiritual environment and comparable conditions are being fostered here in the Chim neighborhood of Qamashi," the president stated.
Source: Presidential Press Service
Mirziyoyev also highlighted changes in access to higher education, noting that the number of young people pursuing university studies had increased from 9 to 45 out of every 100. Several economic initiatives have been implemented in Chim mahalla to increase household incomes and expand employment opportunities. An investment of UZS 3.5bn (over $290,000) was directed toward establishing a carpet-weaving and embroidery enterprise employing local women.
With support from banks, greenhouses covering a combined area of 36 sotix, or approximately 0.36 hectares, were established across nearly 20 households. A cold-storage facility with a capacity of 200 tons was also constructed to preserve agricultural produce. According to the presidential press service, these projects have provided employment to more than 80 previously unemployed residents.
Source: Presidential Press Service
Lemon cultivation has also been introduced in the neighborhood through a cooperative model. Under this system, residents receive seedlings, fertilizers and agricultural services, while the harvested produce is purchased at a guaranteed price. Farmers also grow additional crops between lemon saplings, generating extra income of UZS 14mn–16mn ($1100-$1300) from each greenhouse.
Agricultural cooperation has expanded beyond lemon cultivation. In Chim and neighboring mahallas, 1,200 households are cultivating gulxayri, a plant used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, through a cooperative model. Entrepreneurial activity has also increased in the neighborhood.
A total of 70 existing entrepreneurs have expanded their businesses, while 20 new business entities have been established. The number of service facilities along the highway has increased from 31 to 137. This expansion has created more than 200 new jobs.
Earlier, during a meeting with young people in Qamashi district, Mirziyoyev instructed officials to allocate a two-room apartment in Tashkent to writer Javlon Jovliyev. A similar instruction was issued regarding a family that won the national Book-Loving Family (Kitobxon oila) competition.