Priority Directions for Digital Transformation of Public Utilities and Development of Digital Economy

Digital transformation has become a key factor in improving the efficiency of public utilities, yet in Uzbekistan data on electricity, water, gas and heat supply are still generated by separate departments and stored in fragmented information systems. This fragmentation hinders real-time control of resources, transparent billing and prompt management decisions. The purpose of this article is to substantiate the priority directions for the digital transformation of public utilities management and the organizational-economic mechanisms for developing the digital economy in the country. The study applies a systems approach, structural-functional analysis, comparative analysis of international practice, analysis of national policy documents and conceptual modelling. As a result, a conceptual framework of the Unified Smart Digital Platform for Public Utilities Management (USDP) is proposed. The model consists of five interrelated layers – users, sensors and infrastructure, data and technologies, processes and management, and results – and integrates scattered data into a single ecosystem based on the Internet of Things, Big Data analytics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and blockchain. The organizational-economic mechanism of its implementation is described through institutional, organizational, financial, technological and human-capital components, a set of key performance indicators is proposed, and seven priority directions for developing the digital economy and increasing services exports are defined. The findings indicate that the USDP model can improve transparency, reduce resource losses and support the efficiency of service enterprises, provided that cybersecurity, data governance, interoperability and workforce skills are ensured. Empirical validation through regional pilot projects is recommended.