Two-year progress: development milestones of the new regions of Kazakhstan

ASTANA — Since the creation of the Ulytau, Abai and Zhetysu regions in 2022, at the initiative of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, significant administrative and structural developments have taken place. The regions have seen improvements in the economy, investment profiles, infrastructure, agriculture, sports, culture and education, an analytical article in Kazinfrom reports.

The Abai region

According to the Abai Region akimat’s (city government) press service, the region’s economy has grown by 25 percent, with the gross regional product rising from 2.4 trillion tenge ($5 billion) to 3 trillion tenge ($6.4 billion). By 2023, the volume of industrial production will increase by 1.3 times.

Since 2022, 3,600 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have opened in the region, bringing the total to more than 53,200 units and employing 105,100 people. In 2023, SMEs produced products and provided services worth 1.11 trillion tenge ($2.4 billion), an increase of 37% from 2022.

About one trillion tenge ($2.1 billion) in investment has been attracted to the region’s economy, of which 67.1% is private investment. Four investment projects worth 22.3 billion tenge ($47 million) have been implemented. Another 12 investment projects worth 26.8 billion tenge ($56.4 million) are planned this year, potentially creating 470 jobs.

A project to the Bakhty Ayagoz railway, worth 577.5 billion tenge ($1.2 billion), has been launched to boost transport and transit potential. It is expected to create 1,700 jobs and set aside 2,000 hectares of land for construction.

In 2023, 35 billion tenge ($74 million) was allocated to rural development. The funding facilitated the repair of 213 kilometers of roads, the modernization of 87 kilometers of street lighting, the installation of water supply networks in 11 villages, and the construction of two sports facilities, a cultural center and repairs in social facilities.

Six sports facilities have been opened and another nine are being built with budget funds worth 1.5 billion tenge ($3.2 million).

The Zhetisu region

In 2023, the region’s short-term economic indicator showed growth of 117.4%, with positive increases in industrial production, agriculture, trade and construction. About 350.8 billion tenge ($740 million) in investments were attracted, representing an increase of 15.4%.

This year, the gross regional product is expected to grow by 3.4%, and gross agricultural output is expected to reach 514.4 billion tenge ($1.1 billion), with an increase of 1.1%. About 375.4 billion tenge ($790 million) in investment will be attracted and 349.3 thousand square meters of housing will be put into use.

By the end of 2023, the number of large and small cattle and horses will have increased by an average of 11%. As a result, the volume of meat and milk production will have increased by 1.6%.

This year, 13 projects worth 13.1 billion tenge ($28 million) are planned, creating 135 jobs. These include opening a dairy store worth 4.5 million tenge ($9,500) with a capacity of 100 tons per year and implementing a project to introduce water-saving technologies of Smart Agro 2024 worth two million tenge ($4,200) on an area of ​​667 hectares.

To develop the agro-industrial complex by 2026, it is planned to implement 31 investment projects worth 33.2 billion tenge (70 million dollars), which will create 379 new jobs.

These investment projects include the expansion of the Taldykorgan Oil Extraction Plant, which will cost 4.3 billion tenge ($9 million) and have a capacity of 51.7 thousand tons of vegetable oil per year, and the Kyzylshoky domestic pottery production plant, which will cost 700 million tenge ($1.5 million) and have a capacity of 500 hectares.

The region is creating favorable conditions for investors. An investment portfolio has been formed for the period between 2023 and 2030. It includes 169 projects worth 3.1 trillion tenge ($6.5 billion), creating 11,000 jobs.

In 2023, the number of SMEs reached 58,900. The regional budget revenues reached 478.9 billion tenge ($1 billion), including revenues of 75.8 billion tenge ($160 million) and interbudget transfers of 387.6 billion tenge ($816 million). The regional budget for 2024 was approved at 506.6 billion tenge ($1.07 billion), including revenues of 83.1 billion tenge ($175 million) and interbudget transfers of 408.3 billion tenge ($860 million).

The construction and road repairs required an allocation of 35.5 billion tenge ($75 million), including 198 kilometers of regionally important roads and intra-village streets of 80 settlements. By 2024, it is planned to repair 232 kilometers of regionally important roads and the internal streets of 55 settlements, worth 37.2 billion tenge ($78.2 million).

With the help of the Kamkorlyk Foundation, the Asar sports and rehabilitation complex for children with autism and other mental developmental disorders was opened in the city of Taldykorgan.

In addition, 2.8 billion tenge ($5.9 million) was allocated for the construction of five cultural facilities. Repairs to ten existing facilities worth 2.3 billion tenge ($4.9 million) are underway, including the renovation of three Houses of Culture with a capacity of 800 seats.

The Ulytau region

Over the past two years, investments have been attracted for several important projects, including the construction of a wholesale distribution center in Zhezkazgan, a pilot plant for hydrometallurgical processing of raw copper concentrates, a ceramic brick factory, a livestock complex for 10,000 head of cattle with a slaughterhouse and refrigerated warehouses. In addition, 69 SMEs have been opened.

There is also an investment project underway to build a slaughterhouse and produce canned meat products in Zhanaarkinsky District. The commissioning date is scheduled for August this year.

Two private kindergartens with 180 state-allocated places, a methodological center, a center for identifying and supporting gifted children and talented youth (Ulytau Daryny), and a support center for children with autism spectrum disorders have been opened.

Eleven inclusion support offices were purchased with regional budget funds totaling 99.7 million tenge ($210,000). In addition, 73 educational institutions worth 3.3 billion tenge ($7 million) and 106.2 kilometers of highways were repaired.

In the housing and communal services sector, work is underway to rebuild and modernize Zhezkazgan’s heating networks, along with the construction of automated gas distribution stations, water supply networks and the installation of integrated water purification modules in six rural communities.

The article was originally published in Kazinform.