WEEKLY REVIEW: Decent working conditions should be created the countrywide, Kazakh PM

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Kazakhstan continues education system modernization, drafts new programs with due regard to the experience of the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools. The Government cuts growth of housing costs built through the Affordable Housing program, and speeds up housing utilities modernization. Maternal and infant death rates decline the countrywide.
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More than 10 billion tenge was invested in the protection and reproduction of fishery resources in Kazakhstan over the last eight years, Minister of Environment and Water Resources Nurlan Kapparov said at a board meeting in Astana. "Private capital investment in the protection and reproduction of fishery resources increased by 10.2 billion tenge over the past eight years," Kapparov noted.

In addition, he noted that in the framework of implementation of the concept of transition to a "green economy" in 2014 it was planned to work out a program for fisheries development. This document, according to the minister, will contain a set of measures aimed at the preservation, reproduction and rational use of the resource potential of fishery ponds and development of fish rearing for sale. At the board meeting of the Oil and Gas Ministry held also on Monday Minister Uzakbai Karabalin said that crude oil and gas condensate production in Kazakhstan in 2013 amounted to 81.8 million tons, This figure is 0.3% lower than expected, but 3.2% higher than in 2012. "Gas output made 42.3 billion cubic meters in the accounting period, that is 4.4% higher than planned and 5.4% higher than in 2012," Mr. Karabalin added. "Kazakhstan needs to develop a national strategy on production and usage of gas, Prime Minister of the country Serik Akhmetov stated there. "We need a crystal clear plan of how much gas we have, how much gas we consume, where is it used - in petrochemical industry, energy sector or other fields," Mr. Akhmetov noted. According to the Premier, a lot of work is ahead in the gas sector and all agencies concerned should be involved. "Kazakhstan will introduce the wholesale gas prices starting from May 1, 2014, Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov went on. At the extended session of the Kazakh Ministry of Oil and Gas, the head of the Cabinet said the domestic law on gas and gas supply envisages the introduction of common wholesale price. The topic has been high on the agenda of the Kazakh Government and regional authorities for the past year. "The issue of wholesale gas prices is of paramount importance. It should be solved using a reasonable approach. The wholesale gas prices are believed to be introduced in early May 2014. Hopefully, this move will help us normalize the gas supply situation in the regions of the country," S. Akhmetov noted. As part of the program on modernization of solid household waste management it is planned to increase the number of sanitary landfills in Kazakhstan to 50% and collection of solid wastes to 90% by 2020, Kazakh Minister of Environment and Water Resources Nurlan Kapparov said at a meeting of the Government held on Tuesday. The goal is to increase the share of sanitary landfills to 100% by 2050, he added. He also noted that an important indicator of the program is to increase production of "green" energy from waste. It is about getting gas in the course of processing of biodegradable fraction for the production of heat and electricity. "In this case, starting with 5 % in 2020 it is planned to increase the share of waste used to produce "green" energy to 30% by 2050," Kapparov stressed. In the framework of the program it is also planned to expand collection of solid wastes to 90% by 2020. According to him, percentage of population coverage is planned to be enhanced through the renewal of containers and waste collection trucks in order to ensure timely disposal of solid waste and prevent pollution of the neighborhood. It is important to introduce separate collection of biodegradable waste, "which represents a significant environmental load, since the landfill gas (methane) generated during its decomposition affects climate change." "The aim is starting from 10% to increase the collection of bio-waste to 80% by 2050," Kapparov stressed. "Maternal death rates dropped the countrywide by 6.7% from 13.5 per 1, 000 live births in 2012 to 12.6 in 2013, Healthcare Minister of Kazakhstan Salidat Kairbekova told at the board meeting held in Astana. "With due regard to the dynamic progress in reducing maternal death we will approach the European Union rates by 2020, the Minister assured. Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Akhmetov urged to build cardiac surgery centers in all regions of the country. The Premier praised the Ministry of Healthcare for performing 60 cardiac surgeries in 2013, but said it was not enough as more than 20 thousand patients were still on the wait list. "In order to fix this problem, we need to create cardiac surgery centers in all regions. There are only ten analogous centers across Kazakhstan. The open heart surgeries should be performed at modernly equipped centers in every province of the country," Mr. Akhmetov said. On Wednesday Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov arrived in Aktobe region on a working visit. The main purpose of the visit is to get acquainted with the socio-economic development and the implementation of state industrial programs in the region. On arrival he visited one of the largest facilities, included into the Industrialization Map of Kazakhstan, new ferroalloy plant of "Kazchrome'' Transnational Corporation" JSC. President of "Kazchrome'' Victor Til reported on the construction of the plant and prospects for its development. Besides, Prime Minister Akhmetov commented on further development of Aktobe city. President Nursultan Nazarbayev set the task on developing Aktobe and Shymkent as large megacities. Aktobe agglomeration is expected to turn into an industrial and innovation centre priotirizing industrial growth, including metallurgic engineering, chemical industry, building materials and logistics. Aktobe focuses on manufacturing industry.

"The region launches manufacturing facilities, boosts agro-industrial complex, constructions sector, primarily, solving the employment issue," the PM added. On Thursday Serik Akhmetov threatened regional Akims with dismissals for undeveloped budget funds allocated for the implementation of the program of housing and communal services modernization. "One of regional akims' evaluation criteria will be the modernization of housing and public utilities. Some akims have not yet disbursed the budget funds. In this case they should be dismissed. Targeted and timely disbursement of funds allocated for ''Affordable Housing" and 'modernization of housing is the direct duty of akims'', said Akhmetov at the Ministry of Regional Development. The Prime Minister instructed Minister Bolat Zhamishev to assume control over the above mentioned issue. Furthermore, S.Akhmetov emphasized that mechanisms of the housing modernization program must be accessible and understandable to the public. According to him, people misunderstand the program and businessman do not want to make investments. "New academic programmes for secondary schools will be introduced the countrywide starting from 2015," Minister of Education and Science Asslan Sarinzhipov told at the board meeting held today in Astana. According to him, the Ministry is about to reconsider the content of the secondary level education with due regard to the Nazarbayev Intelelctual Schools' experience. "It is planned to update the effective 11-year education standards. Besides, we will develop new standards of primary, middle and high school. The updated programmes will be introduced since 2015-2016 academic year," he added.

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