TASHKENT, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan on Monday announced an estimate of the minimum consumer spending in the country -- 440,000 Uzbek soums (40 U.S. dollars) per month.
It is the first time that such data, a benchmark to fight poverty, has been disclosed, according to the Uzbek Ministry of Economy and Poverty Reduction.
The minimum consumer spending of the population is the minimum cost of necessary products, goods and services. "This should be enough to cover daily consumption of food (2,200 kcal), non-food products, and services for a person among the target group," Deputy Minister Ilhom Norqulov told a news briefing.
"With the support of the World Bank, the ministry has conducted a survey among 5,400 households across the country to determine preliminary minimum consumer spending," he said.
To complete the experiment, the ministry plans to conduct a survey of 10,000 households by the end of this year.
Uzbek officials said that the indicator was also calculated to determine the poverty line. Since taking office in 2016, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has undertaken a series of policies nationwide to eradicate poverty. Enditem