The system used to register people in need of social assistance to be revamped by the end of the year.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev gave the directive to the National Social Protection Agency at today's government meeting devoted to advancing efforts to reduce poverty and raise household incomes. Under the new approach, the agency will move to a multidimensional assessment system that takes into account not just household income but factors such as chronic illness, disability, large family size, and whether a family member is working abroad.
Officials at the meeting reported that while the national poverty rate has fallen to 3.9 percent, the rate among families with children under age three remains significantly higher, averaging 6.5 percent. Mirziyoyev used the meeting to outline new measures aimed at strengthening social protection for vulnerable families.
"We will deploy a system that allows parents caring for children to work and earn an income from home or within their own neighborhood," the president said.
Working mothers currently receive benefit payments from the Social Insurance Fund until their child turns one year old.
This year, 300 billion soums ($1 = roughly 12,700 soums) has been allocated for a social benefits package designed to generate "passive income" for low-income families unable to work. Officials noted that half of the 11,000 families who received this assistance saw a notable increase in income. Officials were instructed to submit a draft decision within a week on extending the program.
"Starting next year, families included in the registry will have their children's public and private preschool fees, tutoring center costs, transportation expenses, and university dormitory fees covered through vouchers," Mirziyoyev said.
The vouchers will be issued for a 12-month period and will remain valid even after a family is removed from the social registry.
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