President of Uzbekistan yesterday signed a decree creating two new posts of deputy prime ministers to the Cabinet of Ministers, thus, raising the number of vice-premiers from six to eight (including the first deputy PM), a source in the government said.

Sukhrob Holmurodov has been appointed as Deputy Prime Minister – the Head of the Complex for investments, innovative development, coordination of free economic and small industrial zones, tourism. Since March of this year, he has been in charge of the National Bank of Uzbekistan (NBU). He will also oversee the newly created Ministry of Innovative Development and the Foundation for Support of Innovative Development and Innovative Ideas.

As reported earlier Deputy PM Jamshid Kuchkarov has become the Minister of Finance - Head of the Complex on macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, reforming the financial and banking systems, development of entrepreneurship and small and medium businesses.

Former Minister of Finance Botir Khodjaev has been appointed Minister of Economy, replacing Galina Saidova, who headed the agency since 2011.

Former deputy chairman of the Accounts Chamber, Kakhramon Akmalov has been named Deputy Prime Minister - head of the newly created complex for education, health, ecology, environmental protection, physical education and sports. Before, these areas were overseen by the Prime Minister.

The complexes headed by Nodir Otajonov (chairman of the board of UzAgrogtTekhSanoatHolding) and Zoyir Mirzayev (Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources) were renamed, respectively, to the Complex for development of foreign trade activity, export potential, machine building, automotive, electrical, defense, cotton processing and light industry, standardization of products and the Complex on issues of agriculture and water management, processing of agricultural and food products. The Committee for defense industry will be transferred to the jurisdiction of the former.