Modernization of public services delivery to the individuals and legal entities has become one of the main areas for public sector reform. Many countries have already started to develop the programs to improve the public services delivery. In particular, these initiatives cover such aspects as streamlining procedures, ensure quality standards for services, become more customer-oriented service using multi-channel communication model. The primary purpose was to ensure easy access to the public services in close cooperation with local communities and private businesses. It is believed that this kind of initiatives will allow individuals and legal entities benefiting from the functions of the state agencies through the enhanced mechanisms of public service delivery and optimized operational processes. Thus it gives an opportunity to improve the quality, effectiveness and equal accessibility of public services throughout the country.
In Uzbekistan reforms in public administration system are based on introduction of gradual changes into the development policies of the country. For example, among the first efforts on administrative reform, there was a strong focus on transferring functions to local governments, as well as delegating certain social welfare functions to the community level (makhalla). Nowadays a special attention is given to improving the quality and effectiveness of the public services through elimination of cumbersome administrative procedures and duplicating functions of state authorities.
International experience on administrative reforms successfully demonstrates the advantages of applying functional review and capacity assessment of public sector organizations. It helps identify effectiveness of the public sector management system through the analysis of such challenges as: a) existence of excessive, not-relevant, overlapping and not equally distributed functions within the state organizations; b) complexity of administrative procedures; c) extent of discretion powers assigned to officials; d) transparency of public service delivery system; e) opportunities for external and internal oversight on administrative performances of public agencies.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has created favorable conditions for ensuring reliable protection of private property, accelerated development of small business and private entrepreneurship.
Comprehensive organizational and legal measures have been taken to drastically improve the quality and accessibility of public services to business entities (1).
From January 1, 2018, the Integrated Centers for the provision of public services to business entities on the principle of “one window” are transformed into Centers of Public Services. They will operate under the President’s People’s Reception in districts (cities). The corresponding decree was signed by Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The main tasks of the Center include the provision of public services to individuals and legal entities on a “one window” principle, including traveling to remote areas, ensuring high quality of service, efficiency, transparency, comfort and accessibility of public services, preventing bureaucracy, red tape and other administrative barriers in this area.
Also, the centers will carry out interdepartmental interaction, primarily electronic, ensuring prompt receipt of the necessary documents and information for the provision of public services. A separate state body has been created — the Agency of State Services with territorial divisions. He is responsible for the implementation of state policy in this area. This will ensure the complexity and consistency of the ongoing reforms, will increase the responsibility of the authorized bodies and organizations for the qualitative provision of public services.
The document also defines the main directions of reforming the national system of public services. In particular, in this area it is planned to accelerate the introduction of innovative solutions and information and communication technologies, integrate databases of government agencies and other organizations into a unified system of interagency electronic interaction, and expand the practice of providing public services through the Single Interactive Government Services Portal(2).
In addition, the document provides for the use of flexible, convenient and transparent methods of providing public services, including traveling to remote areas (“mobile public services”), an automated queue management system and an extended work schedule aimed at eliminating bureaucracy and corruption in this area.
It is also planned to introduce advanced mechanisms for monitoring and assessing the quality and efficiency of public services, the organization of an effective system of feedback from the public, including hotlines, online surveys on official websites, social networks and mobile applications. In addition to the effective organization of the activities of the Public Services Centers, decisive for achieving success in this area is the introduction of effective mechanisms for interdepartmental interaction in the exchange of information, primarily electronic.
In this regard, the Decree provides for the creation of a unified register of public services, the development of unified administrative regulations for each type of public services, the implementation of information systems, resources, databases and software products, as well as hardware and software systems in the Agency, its territorial offices and public service centers.. This will allow the introduction of an important principle in the provision of public services “Documents are moving, not citizens”.
The active introduction of the Internet and mobile technologies will ensure in the long term the realization of the idea that citizens will visit state bodies only when necessary, and by default, services are provided remotely in electronic form.
Also, a list of 58 types of public services has been approved, which will be provided on a one-stop basis at the Public Service Centers as they are introduced during 2018–2020(3).
These include services such as connecting households to the water supply, sewerage, heating and other engineering and communications networks, permission to carry out individual housing construction, registration, discharge and registration at the place of residence, obtaining various archival certificates, patents, certificates and duplicates of official documents.
References:
- Мирзиёев Шавкат Миромонович. Критическии анализ, жесткая дисциплина и персональная ответственность должны стать повседневной нормой в деятельности каждого руководителя. Тошкент: «Ўзбекистон», 2017.
- Единый портал интерактивных государственных услуг (Единый портал, ЕПИГУ) https: //my.gov.uz/ru
- O‘zbekiston Respublikasi Prezidentining 2017-yil 7-fevraldagi “O‘zbekiston Respublikasini yanada rivojlantirish bo‘yicha Harakatlar strategiyasi to‘g‘risida”gi Farmoni // “Xalq so‘zi”, 2017-yil 8-fevral.
