ASTANA – Akim (Mayor) of Astana Adilbek Dzhaksybekov briefed Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev May 16 on the socio-economic development of the capital, the implementation of key government programmes and plans for the future, reported the press service of the Akorda.
“These figures are encouraging, as a result of the serious work of the state and, first of all, of the city akimat (administration). This work should be continued. The capital must show an example in all directions. A lot is being done in the areas of [the development of] ‘smart city,’ alternative energy, heat supply, improvement of streets and the construction of parking lots. The city is developing successfully and is already having its own means,” said Nazarbayev, adding that investment in the development of the city have been effective and is providing a refund.
According to the statement, during the meeting, Nazarbayev said that Astana takes first place in the country in the growth of gross regional product, which amounted to 4.56 trillion tenge (US$13.82 billion). The average income per capita in Astana was 3.7 million tenge (US$11,215) at the end of last year.
In addition, the investment in fixed assets also grew. They amounted to 770 billion tenge (US$2.33 billion) at the end of last year. The number of small and medium-sized businesses has increased to 105,000 compared to 93,000 in 2014. The share of the sector’s gross value added has reached 62 percent of the total economy of the city.
Also this year, it is expected that 2.1 million square metres of new housing will be commissioned, while in 2014 the figure was about 1 million.
Among social development indicators, the head of state pointed to the low level of unemployment and the existence of 6,000 unfilled jobs. He said 84.5 percent of children pre-school age are being educated in pre-school institutions and that the construction of kindergartens and schools continues. In 2015, the maternal mortality rate was seven per 100,000 newborns and in the first quarter of this year the figure is zero.
