Road Map enables to create over 250,000 jobs in Kazakhstan - G. Abdykalikova
ANA. August 10. KAZINFORM. /Serik Sabekov/ The term "Road map" is often heard in the context of the Kazakh Government's antirecessionary measures. The task to create new jobs for holding of reconstruction of housing and utilities infrastructure, healthcare and education facilities within the framework of this program is known to be one of the most important in the President Address to the nation. The Road Map projects are designed to pull the country out of the world crisis rapidly and smoothly. Kazakh Minister of Labor and Social Protection Gulshara Abdykalikova told about the progress of implementation of these strategic tasks in the interview to Kazinform.
What measures does your ministry take to realize the Road Map?
To stabilize the labor market, ensure regional employment and advanced training of the population the Government created interdepartmental commission for the issues of employment and vocational training.
As a result KZT 140 billion from the republican budget was allocated for the activities within the Road Map.
KZT 8.6 billion was budgeted into creation of jobs and development of "youth practice". It will allow to employ 96,000 people, including 34,000 involved in the youth practice.
Besides, the program envisages KZT 14.4 billion for organization of vocational training.
To provide full coverage and transparency of the Road Map program implementation the Kazakh Agency of Informatization and Communication in association with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection developed a web site dorkarta.enbek.gov.kz .
What results have already been obtained in utilization of budget funds?
As a whole we can say that the anti-crisis measures taken by the Government, including Road Map state program, positively influenced the labor market situation in the second quarter of 2009.
According to the estimate of the Kazakh Statistics Agency, the level of unemployment has decreased from 6.9% to 6.7% over this period. The number of the registered unemployed in June 2009 decreased by 9,700 people in comparison with the last month (from 102,428 to 92,750).
As of July 31, 2009 KZT 87 billion (including KZT 59.5 billion of the republican funds and 27.5 billion from local budgets) were utilized within the framework of implementation of the investment projects of the Road Map. It is 53% of the total amount for 2009.
Today the works within the Road Map are being carried through on 4,773 projects that allowed to create 252.3 thousand jobs (of 254.2 thousand planned or 99.2%). 211.1 thousand people were employed at the created jobs, including 149.4 thousand by employment authorities.
What progress has been made in creation of social jobs and promotion of the youth practice program ?
The work in this direction is underway as well. KZT 8.6 billion is planned to be allocated within the Road Map for creation of social jobs and extension of the youth practice program. Provided limit for financing of the employment measures is up to 34,452 people on the youth practice program. In the regions the figure depends on the number of graduates, who need job placement. At present the Ministry has introduced amendments to some legislative acts on the issues of employment and compulsory social insurance. In accordance with the amendments, graduates and persons, dismissed within personnel cut in the organizations, will be included in target population groups.
Duration of social employment should not exceed 6 months, wages must be up to KZT 30 000 per month (KZT 15 thousand from the national budget, KZT 15 thousand at the expense of the employer).
In accordance with the plans of the Road Map, agreements on employment of 33,843 graduates were signed with 8,816 enterprises within the extension of the youth practice program.
Aktobe, Kyzylorda, Zhambyl, Almaty, Pavlodar and North Kazakhstan regions have already realized the targets on creation of temporary jobs within the mentioned programs.
Vocational training and retraining of personnel is one of the important directions of the Road Map, what has been done in this direction?
KZT 14.4 bln will be allocated for vocational training and retraining of personnel within the Road Map.
The organization of vocational training and retraining of personnel becomes possible due to introduction of developed integrated academic programs, providing preparation of specialists, meeting requirements of the employer. 100 thousand people are planned to be retrained.
As for August 1, 2009 agreements with 416 educational institutions were signed in the regions, 44.7 thousand people were sent for advanced training there. In accordance with the data of the Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science, 6,167 people accomplished training and 5,076 people of them were employed.
Thank you for the interview.