Speaking at a joint session of the Chambers of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan with an Message to the people of Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined the key directions of the state's development for the coming period and announced initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of citizens.
Sharing my first impressions of what I heard, I will note a number of terms that reflect new trends and approaches in improving socio-economic policy. Among them are deep digitalization, prioritization of budget expenditures, greening of industry and the economy as a whole, achieving carbon neutrality, green hydrogen, and the availability of 100% of public services for a citizen with a smartphone.
The Head of State believes that Kazakhstan is relatively successfully overcoming the consequences of the pandemic. In particular, for the first time in the 10 years of the industrialization program, the volume of the processing industry exceeded the contribution of the mining industry, and our goal is to increase its exports by one and a half times by 2025 – up to $ 24 billion. A special law on industrial policy is currently being developed to support this important sector.
At the same time, the resource potential of the republic's subsoil is far from being fully disclosed, for which an effective national geological service should be created.
Another of the instructions of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the Government and Parliament is the development of a law on the development of the agglomeration. Here, the trend of increasing the process of urbanization should be considered in relation to the prospects for expanding the capabilities of the agro-industrial complex.
The next long-term plan announced by the President: Kazakhstan should become a central digital hub in a significant part of the European region. "To solve this problem, we need to strengthen our personnel plan." The task is not easy: to train 100 thousand high-level IT specialists in a short time.
This task cannot be solved without relying on high-quality education and advanced science. And the Head of State once again stressed the firm commitment of the state course to full-scale support of the educational system and the pedagogical corps. Salaries of teachers of schools and universities continue to grow, and incentive measures for the training of talented graduates of schools and universities need to be strengthened.
As a scientist, I am also glad that the term of grant funding for science will now be extended from three to five years, this is quite a sufficient period for the fruitful implementation of scientific ideas and projects.
In the context of increasing global competition and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, high, breakthrough goals are being set for the country and society. In such a reality, we cannot lag behind, but, on the contrary, we should work ahead of the curve, so that we, in the figurative expression of the First President – Yelbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev, do not "get carried away by the heavy sand of history".
But no matter how difficult it may be, the emphasis of state policy on a socially oriented economy remains unchanged. And in this regard, there is good news, confirmed in the text of the Message. From January 1, 2022, the minimum wage will increase from 42,500 to 60,000 tenge, which will affect more than 1 million people. Citizens will still be able to use part of the accumulated pension funds for the purchase of housing, medical treatment and other important needs. Employers who increase the salary of their employees will be provided with a number of benefits. The "Economy of Simple Things" and "Business Roadmap" programs will continue to operate.
And the electability of the authorities by the population, that is, real self-government is not far off. Already in 2024, rural and district akims will be elected by local residents.
The message convincingly confirms the loyalty of our society to unshakable principles, such as unity and tolerance, and at the same time – the readiness to face the challenges of the era together and confidently. Time presses, let's rush forward to new achievements!
Deputy of the Senate of the Parliament of the RK Bakytzhan Zhumagulov
