Single-industry towns’ population decreases in Kazakhstan – PM Bektenov

Single-industry towns’ development highly depends on backbone enterprises. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said it at the Government’s weekly meeting today, Kazinform News Agency reports.

He noted that any production decline makes these towns potential sources of social deprivation. “Social and demographic problems in single-industry towns result in population migration, in particular, among youth, to the large cities. Today we see negative migration balance almost in all single-industry towns,” Bektenov said.

According to him, the population of single-industry towns has decreased more than twofold in the past 20 years. The main reason in unemployment, low salaries and low quality of life.

“Last year, we adopted comprehensive development plans for six single-industry towns – Altay, Balkhash, Zhitikara, Lisakovsk, Ridder, and Stepnogorsk. 13% of the planned activities have not been implemented due to low financing and poor planning by the akimats,” Bektenov said.

More than 1.3 million people are living in single-industry towns today.

“We need decisive actions. We want to develop these towns, make them attractive for youth. For this reason we should increase people’s income and boost employment. This goal will be achieved through the expansion of production, implementation of new projects and creation of conditions for business,” the Prime Minister concluded.