WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan improved basic health and demographic indicators and also increased educational expenditures
ASTANA. August 31. KAZINFORM Kazakhstan improved basic health and demographic indicators and also increased educational expenditures. Growth of Kazakhstan's GDP by 7 percent a year is planned in the medium term. The Government significantly increases funding for education and science.
On Monday, August 27, the Kazakh Healthcare Ministry's press service announced preliminary results of implementation of the Salamatty Kazakhstan Program indicate positive dynamic of the key medical and demographic determinants of the country.
A 2% rise in birth is observed over the past 5 months of 2012. A 4.3% reduction of total mortality led to natural increase by 6.3%. As a result, expected lifespan following the results of 2011 reached 69.01 years against 68.4 in 2010.
Maternal mortality ratio decreased by 13%, infant deaths by 5% in the first six months of 2012.
Kazakh Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev visited Pavlodar region, where got familiarized with the process of implementation of the project on construction of the Bozshakol mining and processing complex, one of the largest undeveloped mine fields in the world. According to the information of the Ministry, the period of development of Bozshakol is estimated at the level over 40 years with the average capacity of 75 thousand tons of copper in concentrated form a year. About 1.5 workers will be employed during the field deposit. Construction of factories and infrastructure has already begun and about 700 people are employed now in this process.
In whole, designing of all the facilities will finish in the 2nd quarter of 2013. Extraction of the first ore is planned in the 4th quarter of 2014. The production will reach its full capacity in the 3rd quarter of 2015.
Besides, Asset Issekeshev visited the Thermal Power Plant - 3 where the investment project on increasing the design capacity up to 510 Mwatt. The project totaling KZT 6.6 bln will be implemented from 2012 till 2015.
Besides, the Minister familiarized with a number of the other facilities built within the Industrialization Map in the region.
On August 28, Kazakhstan's Minister of Economic Development and Trade Bakytzhan Sagintayev predicted GDP growth in next five years on Tuesday (August 28) at the governmental session in Astana.
He announced that real GDP growth is believed to make 6 per cent in 2013; 6.1%, 7.6%, 6.6% and 6.9% in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively.
"These figures conform to the expected 7% growth of economy in mid-term," Minister Sagintayev stressed.
According to him, the GDP will grow based on domestic demand amounting to 6.5-6.8% per year and overseas demand on Kazakhstani products.
"It is expected that nominal GDP will increase from KZT 36 trillion in 2013 to KZT 65 trillion in 2017. Annual average growth of industry is to account for 5.5%," Bakytzhan Sagintayev concluded.
During the Government session, the Kazakh Minister of Finance informed that it is planned to be allocated KZT 269 bln for implementation of the State Program on Development of Education for 2013-2015.
KZT 46.2 bln is provided for ensuring embracement of 227 thousand children with pre-school education within the framework of the Program "Balapan". KZT 5.2 bln is allocated for construction of 21 kindergartens.
The expenditures totaling KZT 15.9 bln are provided for improvement of remuneration of labor of the people working in the sphere of education. It is also planned to allocate 15.3 bln for introduction of the electronic education in schools and vocational and technical education organizations and 36.6 bln for construction of schools.
Besides, KZT 41.1 bln will be allocated for financing of scientific and technical activity and it is 4.4 bln tenge more than in the previous year. KZT 9.7 bln is planned for basic financing and 17.7 bln for grant financing and 12.2 bln for program-targeted financing.
"The expenses for preparation of highly-qualified specialists at universities of Kazakhstan including Nazarbayev University and foreign universities will equal KZT 119.8 bln," the Minister of Finance emphasized.
In whole, the expenses for education and science will make KZT 1 252.1 bln in 2013-2015 and KZT 411.6 bln in 2013.
"The "Samruk-Kazyna" National Welfare Fund plans to increase the corporate governance score to 85% by 2020 within the framework of development of corporate governance. Upon the results of 2011, the corporate governance score made 56.2%," U.Shukeyev said at the session of the Government.
Thereat, he has said that the Fund is currently an operational holding and plans to become a strategic holding by 2020. As earlier reported, the Development Strategy of the Fund was presented at today's session of the Government.
The Strategy outlines three main directions of the Fund development: increase of the long-term values of the company, participation in modernization and diversification of the national economy and social responsibility. Besides, every strategic direction has a number of specific tasks for 10 years.
The Fund is set the following tasks - increase of the corporate governance score, unified national policy, restructuring and preparation of the company for IPO, efficiency system of the company and human potential development.
In summary, U.Shukeyev emphasized that amendments would be introduced to the regulations of the company and the board of directors. Independent professional experts will join the board.
On Thursday August 30, the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan will prepare about 50 thousand tons of seeds for the harvest of 2013 for agricultural producers within the work on elimination of the consequences of droughty weather.
Thereat, a complex of measures on elimination of the consequences of the drought, provision of the regions with grain and fodder for livestock breeding and prevention of increase of the prices for flour and bread is taken. In order to prevent price increase "Prodcorporation" JSC sales wheat at a fixed price of 28 thousand tenge per one ton.
Besides, cattle breeding farms selected by the akimats will be provided with mill offal. Farmers affected by the drought will receive prolongations for their credits and additional diesel fuel for provision with fodder.
As the Ministry informs, 3.8 mln ha of grain crops or 23.7% are in good condition, 9.7 mln ha or 60.2% - in satisfactory condition, 2.2 mln or 13.4% - in dab condition.
On Friday, August 31 Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Darkhan Mynbay announced the first Kazakhstani 24-hour television news channel 24KZ will be launched tonight.
The new TV channel will be based on Khabar Agency. It will cover developments in the world and in Kazakhstan and be broadcasted via Otau TV satellite television and other satellite television services.
24KZ that is to air news every thirty minutes will be launched at 11:30 p.m. tonight.