Main priorities of Kazakh Government in 2008

ASTANA. January 8. KAZINFORM. What were the main priorities of the Government in 2008? What are the main indicators of socio-economic development in this period? Kazinform offers its readers information on transport and development of industrial - innovation projects.

Transportation. International transit corridors received their further development. 579 km of highways of national importance (81 km on the highway Astana-Chelyabinsk, 64 km of Taskesken-Bakhty highway, 114 km of ?Chundzha-Kolzhat? highway, 65 km of RF boarder-Uralsk-Aktobe highway, 16.7 km of Astana South Bypass and 238.8 km of Dossor-Kulsary lands, Opornoye-Beineu and Atyrau-Beineu highways) were launched into operation in the expired year. The traffic in all 6 roads on 215 km of Astana-Schuchinsk was opened on October, 2008. Full completion of the project is expected in 2009. On 8 Dec., 2008 the Act was signed by the Working Committee on the technical readiness of the railway line «Shar - Ust-Kamenogorsk» to enter into temporary service. In civil aviation in 2008: the airport passenger terminal in Aktobe, a second runway international airport in Almaty were put into operation; a joint-military coordination center was opened in Astana. In the field of industrial and innovation development the state initiates formation and development of prior non-oil-and-gas industries of economy with the involvement of business as part of the implementation of ?30 corporative leaders of Kazakhstan? Program and in accordance with the Plan of Action. As a result of taken measures 7 projects have been already put in commission since the start of the Program implementation. At the end of 2007 the first launch complex of electrolysis plant in Pavlodar region aimed at the production of highest process stage ? primary aluminum and extension of Kazakhstani export was put into operation. Six breakthrough projects were also launched into operation in 2008. 2 600 jobs became possible additionally as a result of abovementioned projects implementation. Export possibilities of the country were expanded and dependence of the country on the import of separate types of goods and service is reduced. The total volume of investments in these projects amounted to over USD 1.5 bln. The state represented by ?SamrukKazyna? Fund and ?KazMunayGaz? National Oil and Gas Company set control over three refineries in the country that will allow to form a common policy on selling petroleum products taking into account social problems.