ICT to be Widely Implemented in Uzbekistan's Real Sector

On April 3, 2014 The President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed a Resolution "On measures for further implementation of information and communication technologies in the real economy".

This document was adopted in order to accelerate the development and introduction into the real economy sectors of information and communication technologies and software products and on this basis to improve management efficiency, reduce production costs, ensuring the reliability and transparency of financial and economic activity of associations and large enterprises and to improve their competitiveness in domestic and foreign markets.

The following are set as the most important tasks and directions of development of ICT in the real economy:

• widespread adoption of ICT and software products, mainly locally developed, into document management system, accounting and reporting, financial and economic activity of associations and enterprises, personnel management, organization of manufacture and technological processes;

• improving the quality of products and services, reducing their costs and production costs through implementation of modern information systems and software for accounting and rational use of material resources, regulation of relations with consumers;

• introduction of new product sale schemes by enterprises through the Internet to open new markets and increase the export potential of the country;

• introduction in production processes of innovative mechanisms and technologies by expanding cooperation with research and designing firms, institutions of higher education ;

• organize of an effective system of advanced ICT training and retraining in joint stock companies, associations and large enterprises.

The Resolution has also approved the list of priority projects for introduction of information and communication systems and products into the real economy sectors in 2014-2015.

Executors are instructed to create specialized working groups, to develop network schedules for the implementation of projects and pre-feasibility studies of projects along with setting target figures of cost-effectiveness of their implementation that help increase productivity, reduce costs and improve profitability.

Major priority projects for the introduction of information and communication systems and software products will be included in the investment program of Uzbekistan.

Annually before June 1 lists of new projects will be developed for further introduction of information and communication systems and software products in economic entities and large industrial enterprises to be included in the investment program.

Joint-stock companies, associations, large industrial enterprises are instructed to annually include in their business plans and cost estimates the separate line items for the introduction of information and communication systems and software products, including providing training and skills development. Companies will also put into practice quarterly financial incentives and promotion professionals and employees directly involved in the implementation of projects for the introduction of information and communication systems and software products.

Implementation of these tasks will also contribute to the development of the ICT market and the domestic software industry due to orders for specific IT projects for the real economy.

According to the data of the State Committee for Communication, Information and Telecommunication Technologies of Uzbekistan, the National Register of software development already includes over 40 companies that provide services on integration of information systems and software products.