WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan vows to develop single-industry towns, stop import of livestock from overseas

On Tuesday, September 10, the Cabinet discussed the program of single-industry towns development. First Deputy Minister of Regional Development Kairbek Uskenbayev delivered a keynote speech at the session in which he noted that KZT 4.7 billion was alloted from the budget on the "Development of single-industry towns 2020" State Program in 2013.
The program on development of single-industry towns, developed on the instruction of the Head of State, was launched on January 1 this year. "At present, there are 27 single-industry towns in Kazakhstan with total population of 1.53 million people, or 16.8 % of the country's urban population," Uskenbayev said.
Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov urged the Regional Development Ministry together with the akims of the regions to develop proposals for making changes to the program.
He instructed the governors of single-industry towns and regions to take concrete measures to diversify the towns, study long-term investment anchor projects, as well as joint partnership programs with strategic enterprises providing local producers with long-term orders. "It is also necessary to ensure the timely disbursement of budget funds allocated under the program," Serik Akhmetov concluded.
The same day Minister of Economy and Budget Planning Yerbolat Dossayev presented the bill on the republican budget for 2014-2016 at Majilis (lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament).
"The National Fund capital will reach USD 123.3 billion by 2016," he said. According to Minister Dossayev, this forecast takes into account the projected tax revenues from the oil sector.
It is projected that the National Fund capital will increase from USD 95 billion in 2014 to USD 123.3 billion in 2016. Education expenditures, in his words, will be decreased in the next year. "Overall, KZT 1 242. 3 billion will be provided for education expenditures from the republican budget for 2014-2016," the Minister said on Tuesday.
The bill will be further discussed in working groups headed by majilismen Samigolla Urazov and Nurlan Zhazylbekov.
A meeting of the Republican Tripartite Commission for Social Partnership and Regulation of Social and Labor Relations chaired by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Regional Development of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev took place in Ukimet Uyi on Thursday (September 12).
The meeting was attended by Minister of Labor and Social Protection T.Duissenova, leaders of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan, representatives of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Republican Association of Mining and Metallurgical Enterprises and others.
The meeting considered the draft law "On Trade Unions", proposals for the introduction of the practice of voluntary declaration by employers on compliance of their activities with the requirements of the labor legislation, as well as amendments to the General Agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan, national associations of employers and employees for 2012-2014.
According to Sagintayev, the draft law "On Trade Unions" was developed on the instruction of the Head of State and is aimed at improving the work of trade unions in Kazakhstan.
"We expect that the new law on trade unions will create a legal basis for constructing the vertical model of the trade union movement and increasing the motivation of union membership at all levels of social partnership," the first deputy prime minister said.
On Thursday, Majilis eyed amendments to the code of health care system in Kazakhstan. According to executive secretary of the Healthcare Ministry Serikbol Mussinov, the amendments suggest banning sponsorship of tobacco products.
The same day Minister of Healthcare of Kazakhstan Salidat Kairbekova told the Human Rights Commission under the President that professional responsibility of doctors will be ensured. The corresponding bill is being developed by the ministry.
"We plan to review the draft law till the end of this year," Minister Kairbekova added.
Agriculture Ministry of Kazakhstan plans to stop importing livestock from overseas. It was revealed on Friday (September 13) by Minister Assylzhan Mamytbekov at the meeting of the authority.