UZBEKISTAN
On the initiatives of President Islam Karimov
Uzbekistan strengthens legal
basis of local autonomous body
Mahalla - people’s local self-governing body - over the centuries has preserved our nation’s traditions and values. Since Uzbekistan’s independence the role of the mahalla has been significantly raised. Positive results have been achieved through the implementation of President Islam Karimov’s initiatives on streamlining organizational structures of mahallas, expanding their tasks, providing close cooperation with government agencies.
Today in Uzbekistan there are more than tens of thousands of mahallas. They play an important role in addressing the needs of people from various walks of life, actively engaging them in social-economic activity.
The concept of further deepening democratic reforms and formation of a civil society in the country proposed by President Islam Karimov defines a number of legislative initiatives on advancing a legal-organizational basis of the mahallas’ activity. A relevant law “On people local governing bodies” has been adopted in the country.
In accordance with this law, the authority and tasks of people’ local self-governing bodies have been expanded on such issues as social support, support of the development of small and private entrepreneurship, especially family entrepreneurship, the enhancement of public monitoring over state governing bodies’ activity.
The main principles of the activity of people’s local self-governing bodies are based on lawfulness and supremacy of rights, freedom and legitimate interests of human-being. Along with this, social fairness, democratization as well as more leeway in addressing issues of local community have been ensured.
According to the abovementioned law, terms of social payment to unemployed mothers as well as to mothers working at budget organizations that have children of two year old have been clearly defined. Thus, it has strengthened a legal foundation of targeted social aid to population. It is in full conformity with such principles as humanism and tolerance that have been one of the distinguished features of our nation. Over the course of many centuries these principles have been an unalienable part of mahalla. Therefore, today to every citizen of our country, especially socially vulnerable families, targeted material and moral aid is extended.
In order to keep the public informed about the expansion of mahalla’s role in monitoring over the activity of governing bodies and the implementation of state social programs it is important to ensure the close collaboration between various government structures and people’ local governing bodies. In this regard the public control by mahallas is carried out mainly through monitoring the implementation of laws and other legislative acts in their respective territories. The mahallas look after the compliance with laws pertaining to protection of legitimate interests of subjects of entrepreneurship, quality of rendering services to people by various enterprises and report to relevant government bodies about irregularities. The state structures must render assistance to mahallas in rectifying the situation.
The advantage of the mahallas in solving community problems are that they have wide legislative authorities, and most importantly, the trust of community members, able to mobilize community, relatively good relations and knowledge of the business structures operating on their territory.
The practical implementation of these norms facilitate to strengthening the people’s local self-governing bodies as an effective public monitoring structure. The latest Government efforts aimed at further expanding rights and authority of people local governing bodies, strengthening their role in the society, implementing a principle “From a strong state to a strong civil society”, and advancing democratic reforms. All this ultimately will serve the strengthening an authority of the institute of mahalla as a unique structure of local governing body. k