Tashkent mayor’s office defends Yashnabad District mayor’s self-award

The State Service Development Agency (ARGOS) under the President of Uzbekistan has officially responded to the controversy surrounding the mayor of Yashnabad district, Bakhtiyor Rahmonkulov, who awarded himself 61.9 million soums after declaring his sector the winner of the "Most Enterprising Sector" nomination.

According to ARGOS, the award was made by Resolution No. 536 of the Cabinet of Ministers, dated August 23, 2021. This resolution aims to address socio-economic issues in regions, strengthen direct communication with the population, and evaluate the performance of local sectors.

The assessment of sector effectiveness is conducted through an automated online system managed by ARGOS. Based on these evaluations, sectors are ranked and rewarded at the regional level:

• 1st place – 200 times the Base Calculation Amount (BCA)
• 2nd place – 150 times the BCA
• 3rd place – 100 times the BCA

Bakhtiyor Rahmonkulov, as the head of Sector 1 in Yashnabad, secured 2nd place following evaluations across 48 sectors in Tashkent’s 12 districts. Consequently, he was awarded 150 times the BHM, amounting to 61.9 million soums. This award was allocated from additional sources within the local budget, per the Cabinet’s directive.

On March 13, 2024, the Tashkent City Council of People's Deputies authorized the disbursement of the award. The subsequent decision by the Yashnabad district governor on October 24, 2024, finalized the payment process. After deductions of 12.4 million soums for social contributions and 5.9 million soums for income tax, Rahmonkulov received 43.6 million soums.

ARGOS clarified that the reports circulating on social media misrepresented the situation. They confirmed that Rahmonkulov's self-award was conducted lawfully, and in full compliance with government regulations.