On February 22, a meeting on analysis of effectiveness of activities carried out within the framework of the Concept for improvement of the tax policy and identification of important tasks for the future was held under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Reducing the tax burden, improving tax administration are among the most important factors in development of the economy. Last year, the Concept of improving the tax policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan was adopted. Republican and regional headquarters are organized at khokimiyats for introduction of the new tax system, corresponding organizational and explanatory work was carried out. As a result, the number of enterprises paying value added tax has increased fivefold.
In January this year, the forecast for budget revenues was fulfilled in all regions. In January, the annual inflation rate amounted to 13 percent and did not exceed the forecast figure. This is the smallest indicator of annual inflation after the liberalization of the foreign exchange market, which indicates the economic and legal validity of the new tax concept.
At the meeting it was noted that serious shortcomings are made due to the lack of qualifications and competence of some tax officials.
For example, in some districts of Kashkadarya and Jizzakh regions, tax inspectors are attracted “for a tick” for consulting business entities that have switched to the payment of generally established taxes.
At the meeting, disciplinary measures were taken against the first deputy khokims of the regions, khokims of districts and their deputies, who made shortcomings in implementation of the new tax system.
Let the tax and the prosecutor’s office authorities understand: until the entrepreneurs have a full understanding of the order and rules of the new tax system, imposing a penalty or a fine on them is not allowed. On the contrary, it is necessary to be an adviser and assistant to entrepreneurs, to show them how to calculate and pay taxes correctly, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Issues of raising qualifications of tax service employees, training taxpayers in preparing reports and filling out invoices were discussed.
There is an unreasonable mark-up on goods due to the lack of sufficient knowledge among some entrepreneurs in applying the new tax system. This affects prices in the consumer market.
In this regard, members of the republican headquarters are instructed to visit regions and constantly analyze the reasons for the rise in prices at places, to develop additional proposals for preventing their unreasonable overstatement. Instructions were given on organization of meetings, special publications and broadcasts in the mass media for answering questions about the new tax system.
At the meeting, cases of violations of the law related to taxes payment were discussed on the basis of concrete examples. Necessity was noted for analyzing the movement of goods sold by large manufacturers, importers and wholesale organizations, and the early introduction of an electronic invoice system for expanding the scale of non-cash payments.
The tax authorities were given recommendations on collecting tax arrears at places, searching for internal reserves for additional budget revenues. In particular, the need was noted for establishment of an interregional inspection for working with large taxpayers and importers under the State Tax Committee.
No matter how difficult it may be, we must bring the reforms to the end. However, it is absolutely unacceptable when under the guise of explanatory work, a simple examination of cases at places turns into a check. An honest entrepreneur is under the constant protection of the state, under my protection, the President emphasized.
Another important issue, effective use of household land and conduction of spring sowing was considered.
Our people since ancient times mastered the secrets of farming and gardening. Today, many effectively use their household land and harvest up to three harvests per year. However, in some places there are cases of ownerless attitudes towards household lands. 20 thousand hectares of household land at 328 thousand houses are used inefficiently in the country.
Household land is a source of additional income, an effective means of providing employment and abundance. People themselves are not against income from growing crops, but they don’t know what to plant, where to get seeds and seedlings, whether they can sell the grown products.
Taking into account all this, in March-April this year, planting of crops on household lands will be organized under the new system, with participation of the general public. Leaders of people’s reception offices together with the chairmen of makhallas will visit houses and help the population. 40-50 million UZS will be allocated from the reserve fund of local budgets for the delivery of seeds of vegetables demanded on the market, saplings of fruit trees and grapes cuttings to low-income, socially vulnerable families.
The Council of Farmers, Dehkan Farms and Owners of Household Lands, “Makhalla” charitable public fund with participation of experienced farmers organize the preparation of unused homestead plots of the population and planting crops. The Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations will allocate up to ten times the minimum wage from the State Fund for Promotion of Employment to Unemployed Citizens who have a homestead plot for creation of greenhouses, the purchase of seeds and seedlings.
The first deputy chairmen of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan and regional khokims, heads of four sectors of districts and cities, taking into account the particularities of each region, will take practical measures for specializing each makhalla in horticulture, greenhouse farming, animal husbandry, poultry farming, beekeeping, rabbit breeding, turkey breeding and other areas according to the principle “one makhalla – one kind of product”.
Information of responsible managers was heard on the issues discussed at the meeting.
