Unemployment and unproductive self-employment threaten single-industry towns - Sagintayev

ASTANA. March 29. KAZINFORM The main threat to the stability of many monotowns are unemployment and unproductive self-employment, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Bakytzhan Sagintayev said introducing the concept of monotowns development program at the meeting at the central office of Nur Otan Party.

"27 single-industry towns with a population of 1.5 million or 16 percent of the country's urban population were selected for consideration. The biggest number is in the Karaganda region - eight monotowns, East Kazakhstan region - four, Kostanai region - four, Zhambyl region - two, Pavlodar region - two. In all other regions there is one monotown, except Kyzylorda and North Kazakhstan oblasts, where there are no single-industry towns," said Sagintayev.

The highest rates of self-employment are observed in the towns Karatau - 49.7 per cent, Arkalyk, Zhitikara, Serebryansk and Zhanatas.