Kazakhstan to develop water and energy resources map by yearend
At today’s extended meeting of the Government, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said that 700 kilometers of water canals were reconstructed in Kazakhstan last year, while another 986 kilometers were overhauled this year, Qazinform News Agency reports.
“Four reservoirs have been modernized. Another four are planned for upgrade this year, and construction will begin on three new reservoirs. Work will also be completed on eight basin plans, which will form the foundation of the Master Plan for Integrated Water Resources Management,” Bektenov said.
He added that, in line with instructions issued by the Head of State at the National Kurultai (Congress), a comprehensive map of water and energy resources will be developed by the end of the year.
Water conservation remains a top priority. At present, more than one-third of the total irrigated land area is covered by water-saving technologies, which helped conserve 847 million cubic meters of water last year. Authorities plan to extend these technologies to an additional 150,000 hectares annually. The Ministries of Water Resources and Agriculture have been tasked with preventing potential data misreporting.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has assigned the Government and the National Bank to ensure a lowering of inflation within three years, stressing personal accountability for results.
