?Nurly Кosh? program reflects all ethnic Kazakhs? positive experience in migration and adaptation: T. Mamashev

ALMATY. January 10. KAZINFORM / Aigul Turysbekova / At the end of 2008, despite the financial difficulties, the Government of Kazakhstan adopted a state program ?Nurly кosh? which fully reflects the positive experience of migration and adaptation of ethnic Kazakhs in their homeland. The program solves all the problems of immigrants in the complex. First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the World Association of Kazakhs Talgat Mamashev told our correspondent about it.

According to T. Mamashev, the program developers did not expect that the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan will take this bold but important decision during the economic crisis. As a result the three-year national budget set specific amounts for its realization. ?We should pay tribute to the members of the Government for their patriotism in this decision ? making?, T. Mamashev points out. It should be noted that now, each region develops its own ?Nurly Kosh? program. ?However, I can not say with certainty that all the areas clearly aware of the plan ahead. It is not a secret that some leaders strongly doubt it. Yes, they still have to decide unemployment and other social problems. But once the state adopted this program, then each region is to deal with it at their level, not formally, but clearly outlining the specific measures for the next three years?,T. Mamashev highlights . He notes that under this program, twice a year, each oblast will report for their work. Coordinator of the program is the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Kazakhstan. T. Mamashev says that a specific example was the incentive to develop this program. During one of the working visits of the Head of State to the South Kazakhstan region aul ?Asar?, built by immigrants, was shown him. Returnees created a construction company, which organized the production of bricks, and built cement factories, and build themselves houses. The President, offered the government to share this experience in the development of the state program and distribute it throughout the country. The Program ?Nurly Кosh? has been developed with the leadership of the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Kazakhstan Berdibek Saparbaev. It includes the next three years - from 2009 to 2011. During this time, 75 000 families are to be relocated in Kazakhstan. The national budget envisages adequate funds for its implementation. Basically, the returnees will live in three regions - southern, central and northern. ?Today akims of the regions and districts should know how many families they are going to invite, and where they will be settled. In March this year, it is planned to hold a workshop based on aul ?Asar? experience. T. Mamashev notes that the program takes into account the experience and mistakes that took place during the resettlement of ethnic Kazakhs from abroad to their historical homeland. In 2007, the World Association of Kazakhs celebrated its 15th anniversary. During this time, the organization has accumulated considerable experience. ?If in the first years of independence only our association was busy with migration and placement of returnees, then gradually public authorities became involved in this process. Thus, this work has gained national scale. Today these problems are under the supervision of the Committee on Migration of the KZ Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. According to him, in recent years, the President decreed many programs to support compatriots living abroad. Turning to the figures over the past ten years about 1 million ethnic Kazakhs returned home, while the Committee for Migration gives a figure - 700 000. We have in mind the natural population growth. The forthcoming census of the population is an important political event. I think that the official outcome should reaffirm our data. According to them, today the number of Kazakhs living in Kazakhstan is more than 60%. Prior to gaining our independence, that figure was considerably lower. Migration processes have contributed to the statistical data. In early 2000 the country welcomed 500 returnees families, then the figure has reached 5 000 families. In 2005-2008 years, the number was 15 000 households. From January 2009, the number of families was 20 000. ?We must frankly admit that all these years the government and our association have had shortcomings in our work. Many of our compatriots, who came to their historical homeland, were alone with their problems. Adaptation centers created in all areas of the country did not meet the established standards and requirements. Today we can say with confidence that two rehabilitation centers - in the South Kazakhstan and Karaganda meet these requirements. They are administered by the national budget, while the remaining centers are funded from local resources. The second major issue - providing accommodation for the returnees. During the 90s the state has provided shelter for all returnees. Gradually, in the light of market reforms, the state had to provide the displaced people with one time material assistance to gradually solve their housing and other domestic problems. But life has shown that not every immigrant can solve these problems and to adapt to the country. The ?Nurly Kosh? program was approved at the end of 2008, it underwent large-scale approbation. B.Saparbayev several times took the floor in the Majilis of Parliament. Almaty hosted ?the round table? with participation of heads of the National Coordination Centers of the nearest countries ? Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia. This sitting was attended by the heads of regional departments for migration, old men on behalf of returnees and representatives of all patriotic organizations. During the program project discussion certain proposals were introduced. The State Program considers the main issue. It is a compact location of repatriates near big cities, so that they could work for industrial enterprises, secondary schools are also required. Rehabilitation centers? role is growing as well. Thus, Aktau city realizes the pilot project of such center. It is a seven-floor block, where the repatriates can live half a year, during this time they will master the Cyrillic alphabet, obtain profession, undergo medical treatment. During this period the issues of their citizenship will also be solved, and they will receive the passports. Kazakhstan approached the stage when the state will solve all problems of repatriates in complex. ?It is not a secret that from time to time discussions on the role and status of the state language emerge in our society. This issue will have natural solution, when the quantity will turn into quality. That is, when there will be 70% of ethnic Kazakhs in the country. ?The repatriates are not only our compatriots, but our ?golden fund?, native speakers of truly Kazakh language. Without exaggeration, they enrich our language, having preserved its originality, traditions of our ancestors, their culture. It has to be noted, that over 60 doctors of sciences, over 500 PhDs are among the returnees, excluding the representatives of artists, successful businessmen. Today they work in all spheres of life and make their contribution to the development of independent Kazakhstan?, Т.Mamashev says. The ?Nurly Kosh? program will help not only ethnic Kazakhs, but citizens of other nationalities, who at one time left the country, to come back to Kazakhstan. The statistics of the Migration Committee shows, that recently not only ethnic Kazakhs, but people of other nationalities started to come back to Kazakhstan. According to the data of the Migration Committee under the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, all in all realization of the Program in 2009-2011 will require KZT 197 795,6 mln. Including the sums from the National budget in 2009 at the amount of KZT 17 551,5 mln; in 2010 - KZT 85 267,3 mln; in 2011 ? KZT 76 737,7 mln. From local budgets in 2009 KZT 25,8 mln will be allotted; in 2010 ? KZT 5 208,9 mln; in 2011 ? KZT 4 946,6 mln. From other sources: in 2009 ? KZT 7 207,2 mln; in 2010 ? KZT 850,6 mln. The cost of the Program in 2010-2011 will be adjusted and updated depending on situation.