Welfare in Kazakhstan’s Villages to Even Out at Higher Level

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Kazakhstan will reduce disproportionality between villages and cities as much as possible. For instance, the previously considered mid-level of provision in settlements will become high in 2027, Kazakh Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov said at the government’s meeting in the Mazhilis, a lower house of the Parliament. He presented an updated system of regional standards for the country’s settlements that was worked out throughout 2022. The document includes a minimum list of specific facilities and services necessary for the population.

“The new system involves 12 areas in the social, engineering, transport, environmental and household spheres, as shown on the slide. Settlements are grouped into five categories, such as cities of national and regional significance, towns of district significance and district centers, centers of rural districts, key rural settlements and other villages. As I noted earlier, the list of facilities and services for each type of settlements has been expanded,” the minister said.

According to Kuantyrov, the government focuses on the development of regions, allocating significant amounts from targeted transfers. 4.5 trillion tenge is provided for the period from 2023 to 2025, for example. 14 regional centers of the country are set to develop engineering and transport infrastructure this year. In total, it is planned to implement 67 budget investment projects worth over 42 billion tenge. About 200 billion more will also be directed to improve the quality of life in villages as part of the Auyl-Yel Besigi project.

Source: Jibek Joly