During 2023, the authorities in Uzbekistan decided to increase wages and pensions twice. Director of the Institute for Forecasting and Macroeconomic Research Umid Abidkhodjayev told Kun.uz about this.

According to him, in the parameters of the state budget approved for 2023, it was envisaged to allocate 6.7 trillion soums to increase pensions and benefits by 12% from June 1, as well as wages by 10% from October 1.

Due to higher prices for gold and copper in the world market compared to the forecast (an additional 4.5 trillion soums) and an increase in customs revenues (an additional 3 trillion soums) compared to the parameters of the state budget, it was decided to increase salaries, pensions and benefits again.

In particular:

- at the first stage, from April 1, pensions and benefits will increase, from May 1, wages – by 7% (additional costs of 2.2 trillion soums);
- at the second stage, from September 1, pensions, benefits and salaries will be increased by 10% (another 5.6 trillion soums).

“As a result of this, for example, the monthly salary of a senior teacher at school No. 30 in the Akkurgan district of Tashkent region will increase from 4.2 million soums to 4.5 million soums in May (from September to 4.9 million soums), the salary of a doctor laboratory assistant of the Kagan district medical association – from 3 million to 3.2 million soums (from September to 3.6 million soums), the salary of a senior nurse of the Andijan city medical association – from 2.7 million to 2.9 million soums (from September 3.2 million soums),” he said.

In this case, the increase in wages and pensions at the first stage will be covered by additional income.

“As a result, it is expected that the growth of wages, pensions and benefits will be much higher than the projected inflation (about 10%),” Umid Abidkhodjayev said.

It is reported that 6.5 million citizens (4.4 million pensioners and 2.1 million workers) will benefit from these measures.