WEEKLY REVIEW. Carrying out Forced Industrial Innovative Development Program is top government priority
On Monday, January 30, Kazakh Ministry of Finance held a board meeting to sum up the results of 2011. The budget revenues amounted to KZT 4 trillion 451 billion, fulfilling 102.4 percent of the 2011 yearly plan. The tax revenues were fulfilled 126.1 percent of the year's plan. In accordance with the President's instructions outlined in his state-of-the-nation address, the Government intends to introduce amendments into the Law "On national budget for 2012-2014." The preliminary draft amendments will be considered next week.
Deputy Prime Minister Kairat Kelimbetov urged the Ministry of Finance jointly with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade to elaborate proposals on reduction of budget expenses, which do not provide economic growth and employment. The Vice Premier also charged to proceed to close monitoring of the external debt of the quasi-public sector, to provide suggestions on improving formation of external debt statistics of this sector. Kelimbetov noted it is necessary to conduct analysis of procurement of public bodies, national companies in order to detect violations that contribute to the acquisition of imported products in the presence of domestic products of similar quality. He urged the Ministry of Finance to elaborate proposals on creation of a single operator of public procurement with a single information system.
On Tuesday, January 31, Economic Development and Trade Minister of Kazakhstan Bakhytzhan Sagintayev told an enlarged board meeting of the Ministry that Kazakhstan's GDP in real terms grew by 7.5% in 2011. "Favorable pricing environment at commodity markets, preservation of external demand for primary goods and home consumption increase contributed to this growth," the Minister said.
Vice Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Kairat Kelimbetov instructed the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade until March 1 to complete a step-by-step antirecessionary plan ("Plan B"). He emphasized that the plan should contain different scenarios of the world economy and reflect the appropriate response of the Government, Akims (governors), National Bank and Sumruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund. "The Ministry must strengthen the operational monitoring of the situation in Kazakhstan and in the world on a daily basis and provide relevant information to the Government," Kelimbetov stressed.
Kazakh Education and Science Minister Bakytzhan Zhumagulov told a board meeting of his ministry on Tuesday that 15 more "Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools" would be built in Kazakhstan until 2015. On the instruction of President Nursultan Nazarbayev seven "Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools" have been opened in Kazakhstan. Construction of 12 more schools is underway. All in all, it is planned to open 15 schools until 2015.
He also informed that the project "E-learning" will be introduced into 537 organizations in Kazakhstan this year. "We have started to use the new type of education - E-learning, set about forming its legal and methodological framework. 44 organizations have already begun the pilot project of E-learning. In 2012, the number of such organizations will increase to 537, providing them with access to the Internet with a bandwidth from 4 to 10 Mbits/sec.," Zhumagulov said.
On Wednesday, February 1, chairman of Kazakhstan's Sports and Physical Culture Agency Talgat Yermegiyaev told that 117 Kazakhstan's athletes will compete for the London 2012 Olympic Games licenses.
On the same day Kazakh First Vice Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov gave some instructions to the Ministry of Emergencies. In particular, to introduce a bill "On civil protection" to the Parliament as soon as possible; to continue strengthening material and technical equipment of rescue and fire fighting services of the Emergencies Ministry; to pay special attention to developing air rescue service, increasing efficiency of management in crisis situations, coordinating work of en-route rescue points.
At a board meeting of the Kazakh Labor and Social Protection Ministry Gulshara Abdykalikova announced that the provision of housing for oralmans (repatriates) has been transferred into a format of the Employment Program 2020.
Later that day at the Ministry's board meeting Minister of Transport and Communications Askar Zhumagaliyev announced that Kazakhstan plans to open more than 10 international air routes. It is expected to open flights from Astana to Baku, Tashkent, Ulan Bator, etc. Deputy Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov urged the Ministry of Transport and Communications to take all measures to start construction of railway lines "Zhezkazgan-Beineu" and "Arkalyk-Shubarkul". Thus, we will connect the west with the center and form a single national railway network, S.Akhmetov noted.
On Thursday, February 2, Kazakh Minister of Oil and Gas Sauat Mynbayev told about the production of oil and gas condensate in 2011.
On the same day Kazakh Minister of Culture and Information Darkhan Mynbay announced the launch of two new TV channels "Bilim" (Knowledge) and "Novosti 24" (News 24) in 2012. Among the achievements of last year, the minister noted the launch of the national digital satellite network, as well as the launch of site aggregator Bag.kz, which consolidated some 90 Kazakh Internet resources. An important event was the opening of Television and Radio Complex "Kazmedia Center".
Newly-appointed Chairman of the Kazakh Agency for Land Resources Management Kadyrkhan Otarov criticized the work of the previous management on Thursday. 2011 was very difficult for the Agency. As a result of unadopted effective measures and unrealized functions, the goals and tasks set were not reached fully. Hence the Head of State gave a tough and fair estimation to the Agency's work, there were set specific tasks on liquidation of failures and incomplete work, K.Otarov told a board meeting of the Agency.
Above 100 enterprises gained state support in 2011, Kazakh Industry and New Technologies Minister Aset Issekeshev told an enlarged board meeting on Thursday. According to him, 13 industrial and 9 task development programs were adopted, the Industrialization Map was developed. Above 100 instruments were created to support business. As a result of the efforts taken 207 new productions were opened, 45,000 workplaces were created.
On Friday, January 3, Head of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Construction, Housing and Serik Nokin said that last year 6.5 million square meters of housing space were put into operation. In 2011 the volume of construction work reached KZT 2.82 trillion. The share of the construction sector in the country's GDP made 7.6 percent.
On the same day, at a board meeting of the Agency on Religious Affairs, Secretary of State Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed said it is important to pay special attention to the activity of the Islamic Culture University Nur-Mubarak.
