Regions receive more resources, maslikhats must enhance control – President
Regions must focus on scrupulous planning of their budgets and increasing incomes. This is what President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the III Republican Forum of Maslikhat Deputies, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the press service of Akorda.
“We gradually strengthen the potential of local authorities and financial independence of regions. Last year, budgets of rural areas exceeded 442 billion tenge. Meanwhile, the average budget of rural areas reached 190 million tenge. This is a good indicator,” said the President.
From 2026, budgets of rural areas will receive additional sources of income, including tax on the extraction of widespread mineral resources, the use of groundwater, and therapeutic mud.
"In line with my instructions, the Government is now working on the issue of transferring part of the property tax paid by legal entities and individual entrepreneurs to fourth-level budgets. Regions may also receive funds from license fees for certain types of activities and from environmental fines," the President noted.
"Revenue should contribute to the development of the territories where it is generated. In short, regions are gaining more and more resources, and the task of the maslikhats is to ensure proper oversight of their use. It is extremely important to improve the quality of budget planning and execution in the regions,” the Head of State emphasized.
According to the President, local maslikhats must be actively engaged in the budget planning process at the earliest stages. He said that in all budget discussions, only state and regional interests should come to the forefront - there must be no place for lobbying or populism. "The guiding principle is that everything should serve the people," he noted.
This will help improve the quality of work and ensure the efficient use of funds.
"It is necessary to stop wasting huge sums on useless initiatives," Tokayev stressed.
The President noted that regional administrations (akimats) should not depend on subsidies from the republican budget, saying that "it is time to put an end, once and for all, to dependency mentality.
As reported earlier, the III Republican Forum of Maslikhat Deputies is underway in the Palace of Independence with the participation of the Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
