The working trip of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev continued in Shymkent.
In his speech at a meeting with the public of the city, the head of state noted that Shymkent has always been distinguished by special warmth both in terms of natural conditions and in terms of the sincere generosity of its inhabitants.
"Shymkent occupies a special place in the spiritual life of our people. This city is a fertile cradle of national traditions. It embodies the best features of the Kazakh character. The best manifestations of culture and national etiquette are combined into a single whole here. Elders are invariably respected and worthy ones are honored. In the glorious land of Shymkent our nation was being formed. Therefore, we can confidently say that the inhabitants of this beautiful city live on the blessed land of Zheruyik," said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The head of state stressed that the history of ancient Shymkent is at least 2200 years old, and this fact is recognized at the level of UNESCO. According to the President, since Shymkent received the status of a city of republican significance, there have been many positive changes. In particular, 170 billion tenge was allocated for the development of the city. In addition, investments worth more than 1.5 trillion tenge were attracted. The city budget has grown 4 times, industrial production has increased by 65 percent. More than 2.5 million square meters of housing have been put into operation.
In his speech, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dwelled in detail on the prospects for the development of Shymkent. In particular, according to the President, specific measures are being taken to turn Shymkent into one of the four hub cities of our country.
Speaking about the development of production and the improvement of industrial zones, the Head of State called diversification of the city's economy and an increase in domestic production output as important areas of work.
Along with this, the President focused on the potential of agriculture. According to him, one of the most pressing issues is food security.
Then the Head of State spoke about the role of small and medium-sized businesses in the development of the city. In particular, the "Business City" program to support entrepreneurship is being implemented in Shymkent. In recent years, the share of small and medium-sized businesses in the gross regional product has reached 40 percent.
"This is a good indicator. About 180 thousand people work in this area. I would like to emphasize the entrepreneurial spirit of Shymkent residents. Southerners have always been famous for their diligence, which can serve as an example for many. As they say, work is the basis of success. contribute to the development of our country with your work,” the President said.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that the master plan of the city should be consistent with its economic potential, while taking into account the problems faced by the world's largest metropolitan areas.
"In the immediate vicinity is one of the largest markets in Central Asia - the Tashkent agglomeration. Therefore, Shymkent must be competitive in all respects. With this in mind, I instruct to review the master plan of the city by the middle of next year," the President said.
The speech also raised issues of housing construction.
"This year, it is planned to commission more than 1 million square meters of housing. Thanks to this, about 9,000 families will celebrate housewarming. The pace of housing construction should not slow down. The main thing is that housing prices are affordable for the population," the Head of State said.
Along with this, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the need to modernize the transport, logistics and engineering infrastructure.
This issue needs to be addressed in the coming year. There is no gas in 8 more settlements. I instruct the Government and the akimat to work out the issue of allocating funds for the gasification of these territories," the Head of State said.
Speaking about the development of social infrastructure, the President noted that in Shymkent this year, proclaimed the "Year of Children", the Palace of Students and the Children's Creative Center are being built.
"Given the demographic growth, I instruct the akimat to build another Palace of Schoolchildren by 2025. It is planned to build 101 schools in Shymkent within 5 years. Business representatives are actively involved in this important matter. Over the past two years, 50 private schools have opened in the city. Entrepreneurs of the region contribute a great contribution to the development of the education system. In the coming year, the akimat must completely solve the problem of three-shift schools," the Head of State said.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that the state pays special attention to the sphere of culture.
"Currently, there is a shortage of cultural centers in the city for holding large-scale events. On my instructions, the construction of a Congress Hall for 2,000 seats has begun, it will be commissioned next year. The city has an Opera and Ballet Theater, but it is located in a room that does not meet necessary requirements. Therefore, I instruct the Government to build a new building of the Opera and Ballet Theater in Shymkent," the President said.
Speaking about the situation in health care, the Head of State pointed out that Shymkent needs a maternity hospital that meets modern standards. In this regard, the Government and the Akimat were tasked with speeding up the construction of the maternity hospital
The head of state called the solution of the issue of employment of the population one of the main tasks of local executive bodies, especially noting that now a third of Shymkent residents are self-employed.
"This year, at least 24 thousand people should be employed. I gave specific instructions aimed at developing local self-government. A relevant bill is currently being developed. The powers of akimats and maslikhats will be expanded. Responsibility will increase accordingly. I believe that all this will contribute development of the city's economy and improvement of the well-being of its residents," the President said.
In his speech, the Head of State said that we are on the threshold of a new era, while armed conflicts are taking place in neighboring countries.
"In this difficult period, when the situation is aggravated by the sanctions confrontation between the major powers, it is especially important to preserve the consent of the people. The source of prosperity is our unity. These words have a deep meaning. Prosperity means the economy, and unity means politics. We can grow and develop only if If we can keep the peace in the country. We do not need any external enemies or internal strife. Therefore, we adhere to a neutral position in foreign policy. This position is highly appreciated by the international community and is in the highest interests of our country. And in domestic policy, our most important priorities are unity and consent," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
The President stressed that in the current extremely difficult geopolitical situation, Kazakhstan's foreign policy is aimed at providing favorable conditions for the further strengthening of our statehood.
The President recalled that last year, when the roof of the sports complex collapsed on a flagpole during a football match, local residents, despite the danger, carried the banner of Kazakhstan from under the rubble.
The head of state expressed gratitude for the selfless act to Abilkair Dauletov, Bekmurat Karaev and Nurken Namaz, noting that their patriotism should become an example for young people.
At the end of the meeting, the Head of State presented state awards to labor veterans. The order "Parasat" was awarded to the editor-in-chief of the newspapers "Shymkent kelbeti" and "Panorama of Shymkent" Bakhtiyar Tayzhanov. The Order "Kurmet" was awarded to Doctor of Historical Sciences Professor Bauyrzhan Baitanaev and doctor of the city hospital No. 2 Yesengeldy Begeshev. Athlete Ksenia Khan was awarded the medal "Eren enbegi ushin", the medal "Shapagat" was awarded to the teacher of "IT-school-lyceum No. 89" Asem Usenova.
By the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda
